Weekly Chillicothe crisis., 1884-11-13
CHRIsrIANsBoRG CASTLE.
The Royal Palace Recently Burned-lts Con-
Observation-Disclosures In Danish
Hlofnrx

from Copenhagen. Its immediate
predecessor had been built by King
Christian vi. Cfrom 1880 to 1746), and
was an imitation of the vast and gor-
geous constructions of which so many
were erected in this period of absolute
royal power and exaggerated regal
splendor-in fact, the period of Louis
XIV. and Louis Nv. The Christians
borg of that time was an imitation of
Versailles, not exactly in style, but in
character and extent, and the august
presence, or even the name, of royalty
was considered to impart to the palace
a stamp of august sanctity, so that
nobody was permitted to pass along
the front or to traverse the courtyards
except hat in hand. In this editice
much pomp and splendor We're cX-
hibited, and here it was that the
principal scenes were enacted of the
famous court drama that ended with
the incarceration and exile of Queen
Caroline Mathilde and the dccapita-
tion of Struensee and his friend Count
Brandt, A fire broke out on Feb 26,
1894, in the wing occupied by the
hereditary princess. Nobody would
believe in any danger; the idea that
the fire might spread and attack the
palace was poohpoohed, and so firm
was the faith in the ipdestructibility
of these massive walls that the royal
family went to state dinner in
another story as if there was nothing
the matter. But it soon turned out
that the smoke and fire first observed
were only symptoms of hidden con-
flagration that had silently, and for
nobody knew how long time, worked
its way along and under the floors; in
a few hours the flames burst out of all
the windows, they spread as if by
magic, they reached the tall tower
dominating the whole pile, and twelve
hours after nothing was left Of all the
magniticence but the bare walls ten
feet thick, including mountains OF
crushed chimneys and partitions,
charred beams, and smoking ashes.
More than one thousand individuals
had lived within the precincts and had
become housccss.
The years following 1894 were not
fit to undertake reconstruction of the
castle. The battle Of April >, 1901,
reckoned by the Danes as victory on
their side, and not for the English
fleet, was followed in 1907 by the BON
bardment of Copenhagen, and the alb
duction of nearly the entire Danisl
navy. Then came the wars during
the last struggle of Napoleon. the
peace of Kiel in 1914 entailing the los,
of Norway and, as the consequence,
of so many misfOrtunes, the stat,
bankruptcy. Nevertheless, the econ
omic and honest administration o
Frederick VI. gradually brought ordei
and comparative ease back to thu
country, and to the 100000 rix dollar,
current that had, during the first i'm
preston of the calamitous fire, beer
voluntarily subscribed by the nation
the state added yearly amounts 81
that, in November, 1928, the inaugu
ration of the new palace could taxi
place on the occasion Of royal wed
ding. OF the main construction, tn,
front had length of 1870 yards, tn,
sidc-wings each of about 100; six stor
les rose to height OF 40 yards to tn,
cornice, and after this came tn,
slanting and rather elevated roof. Bu
from this principal part of the castl,
there extended double side-branches
an interior circle of arcades and two
stored buildings, incloSing Il yer,
large riding-placc with q fountain ii
the middle and outer arms in righ
angles. The whole pile, though stu
ated on low ground and only few
yards above the level of the sea, tow
cred high above the rest of the town
and, seen from n distance, the hue,
. mass entirely dominated the surround
: ing town. The castle was withou
( comparison the largest editicc in tn,
capital and imposing in its dimensions
: compensating in grandeur what i
: lacked in beauty or taste. The cost o
4 the building was estimated a
the time at about 100000 crowns
p it would be absolutely impossible t
s reconstruct it nowadays at les
than triple the amount, and be
c sides that the furniture, the work
l. OF art not saved, and the differ
ent objects belonging to the rigsda
Il and to the supreme court represent
:, considerable value. Many memorie.
dear to the Danish nation, are conneC
y ed with the now destroyed palace
II Here it was that Frederick VI. receiy
ed in March, 1913, the giant processio
Of citizens coming to claim from tn
4. monarch political liberty and protet
8. tion OF national rights, and where Ii
q. king spoke the memorable words froi
a which may be dated the birth Of col
"a stitutianal freedom 10 Denmark. An
" here it was that, a. another period
70 crisis and danger, his present lnzjest-
ID the founder Of a new dynasty, was q
u November, 1868 proclaimed king ,
n. Denmark. All tie memorable even
re in modern higtory have been clo.el
Cd conDected with Chr.s,ainsbofg. a. II
as castle was 4 slgniGcsuli feature IN Il
be ARCHITECTURAL character u C0psuhayel
u, SOFT had its pro o, place in the ut
Of tions history. The de.,ryclion
n. therefore, naturally lamcuted a. q n
es tional loss. Deep gratitude 4. felt ,ba
n In spite Of the mot imminent DANCE
be the great treasures Di works " art an
at OF science, and the cpstly collection
II Of books and state paper. have bee
ce saved from the fire, and II i. cgnccd,
nd that the loss now incurred 1. not !
q. reparable, still it Is very deeply felt.
,r- twenty-five years ago the Dari.
en- nation was thrown in mourning by a
"a. other calamity Of similar natur
raj That was the confagaton, in Decel
,m Der, 1859, of the Frcdcriksborg castl
en- situated some twenty miles from Il
ue capital, masterpiece Of Il stlle th
has taken its name here from Chri
AT ian w., and Rosenberg castle, but
,er nearly related to your Elizabeth;
M ne era, fredericksburg lay much near
eI- to the Danish heart than the pala
W. W. now destroyed, and within its walls
g" contrained many historic cariosit
,ho and art treasures closely connect
,no ,n with the Danish history. It's destrr
' aa ton by fire was felt, therefore, as
20 deep national misfortune. A gen,
eu en- Gus impulse of the people, and t
munliicent liberality of q single citize
10 the wealthy brewer, Mr.. j. e, Jacc
nal sen, has since then restored the cas-
tbe OF Fredericksburg to the former sple
DOR and made it the home of a d,
,nv chronological museum of history.
Sta is to be hoped that correspond
pty. feeling win make Chrstianborg r
~ like n nhmnir from, 10, o,L.. %