The casemates are the chambers included in the fortifications of the castle: situated both on and below ground, protected by the thick walls, it allowed men to take shelter during the sieges of the castle. It had its own stores as well as stables for the horses.
In the first room, which used to be the kitchen, the visit starts with a vending machine selling... lamptorches. I'm lucky enough to have my own light, and it served me well during the visit. But it is the first time I have had the use of my own light during a visit!
The tunnel slentes sharply downwards and leads to the resting chamber of Holger Danske or Ogier the Dane, who sleeps in time of peace but will waken in time of need to save his country. The following rooms holds texts and images depicting how the hero is part of the Danish culture. In those rooms, the barest lighting allows one to follow the arrows in a straight path; having one own's light allows the visitor to stray and to visit those rooms without a light. With so few visitors at a time, it is both daring and oppressive.
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| Holger Dansk |
The visit continues one level lower, where there is even less light; from time to time, a dummy in historical costume renders the atmosphere: here a guard with a bow in front of a narrow window, there a civilian in the storage area.
Some door openings were so low that I had to really, really stoop to go through. And the whole complex would be very fun to play hide-and-seek in it.
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