Geopark: Egeskov Slot

The history of the beautiful grounds is clearly seen in the building as well as the surrounding garden and the cultural landscape dominated by the Egeskov manor landscape with forests, large fields, and avenues as its main features.

Prior to the Reformation in 1536, the political unrest during the Count's Feud (1534–36) made many of the landowners at the time build their manors as hard-to-conquer castles. Such was the case with owner Frands Brockenhuus, who constructed his castle Egeskov (in English: Oak Forest) in the middle of a lake. According to legend, the castle was constructed on a foundation of oak piles driven into the ground and it was so thorough that it took an entire oak forest to build. The name of the manor is often connected to this story, but the name of the building is of an earlier date than the building itself. Egeskov was likely completed in 1554.

The basic idea behind the building was for it to serve as a military defence, which is clearly visible. In case of an attack, one could surrender one building and continue to fight from the next one. The double wall is so thick that it holds both stairways and a water well to prevent lack a water from becoming a problem during a siege. The outer walls were equipped with embrasures and machicolations, where you could pour boiling water or hot tar onto the enemy. From the tower you could shoot at the enemy.

Niels Krag the Younger landscaped Egeskov garden east of the lake around 1730. Pavilions as well as fountains were built in line with the trends of the time.

In present day, the gardens of Egeskov park are in Renaissance, Baroque, and English styles, but you will also find a farmers garden, a manor vegetable garden, and a fuchsia garden on the grounds. Egeskov park has been open to the public since the 1960s and in 1986 the main building was opened as well.