Voergaard Castle & Voer Church
-
port
Aalborg, Denmark
-
activityLevel
Moderate Activity
-
excursionType
Information Not Currently Available
-
wheelchairAccessible
No
-
startingAtPrice
$149
-
minimumAge
Information Not Currently Available
-
duration
Approximately 3 Hours
-
mealsIncluded
Meals not included
In the 16th century, Bishop Stygge Krumpen of the Borglum Monastery and his mistress, his brother’s wife Elsebeth Gyldenstierne whom he stole from his brother, used Voergaard Castle as their summer estate. They spent their time receiving ordinary citizens and distinguished nobles from near and far. Nowadays, the castle is open to the public and the Medieval Days festival take place at the castle each year -- a special time allowing visitors to discover the life and times of Krumpen and the other inhabitants of Voergaard in 1533.
Board a motorcoach for the 30 minute drive to Voergaard. Upon arrival, you'll find yourself surrounded by the sights, sounds and aromas of an entire storybook. Step back in time and enjoy a guided tour through the castle -- a rich treasure trove that reveals 16th-century life in great detail.
Voergaard is brimming with art treasures. The last individual owner of the castle, Danish Count Ejnar Oberech-Clausen bought the castle in 1955 and proceeded to bring 12 train cars worth of art from Paris. Following his death in 1963, the castle and collection were passed to a foundation and opened to the public. The collection features furniture, antiques, paintings, porcelain and silverware, including treasures from Louis XIV, Louis XVI and Marie-Antoinette's personal effects, most notably her will and farewell letter to her children. Works by Rubens, Raphael, Goya and El Greco are also on display. The castle's many rooms are an exquisite study in how affluent manor houses were furnished through the ages.
In the cramped dungeons, the air is thick with past horrors. Torment was rife here and fearsome stories include the whims of a merciless lady of the manor -- terrifying tales of greedy Ingeborg Skeel include the murder of the castle's master-builder by drowning him the moat. Legend claims that Ingeborg haunts Voergaard Castle to this day. In the northeastern tower room, a stain on the floor purportedly symbolizes innocent blood that cannot be unshed. No matter how much the floor is sanded, the stain always reappears after a few days.
After your visit to this magnificent castle, continue to Voer Church, located near Voergaard Castle, dating back to AD 1100. The history of the church is closely entwined with that of the castle including the large burial site of Ingeborg Skeel which she had built in order to perpetuate herself.
It's easy to believe you've time-traveled a half-millennium, but you'll return to the 21st century during the motorcoach ride back to the ship.