A real masterpiece of Romanesque art, Saint-Eutrope Basilica in Saintes amazes visitors with its two superimposed choirs and its crypt, one of the largest in Europe. The Flamboyant Gothic style bell tower (built 1478-1496) rises more than 80 metres and overlooks the ancient capital of the Romanesque Saintonge region.
The church was inaugurated in 1096. The relics of Saint Eutrope, the first bishop of Saintes, were buried to crypt and the church and it was a popular pilgrimage site. It was one of the largest churches in the region until 1803 when the dilapidated nave was removed. The current facade was built in 1831 by the architect Prévôt. Later, in 1844, the bell tower was restored by another architect named Clerget. A year later, the crypt was cleared because it had been filled several times before.
Rosenborg Palace was built in the period 1606-34 as Christian IV’s summerhouse just outside the ramparts of Copenhagen. Christian IV was very fond of the palace and often stayed at the castle when he resided in Copenhagen, and it was here that he died in 1648. After his death, the palace passed to his son King Frederik III, who together with his queen, Sophie Amalie, carried out several types of modernisation.
The last king who used the place as a residence was Frederik IV, and around 1720, Rosenborg was abandoned in favor of Frederiksborg Palace.Through the 1700s, considerable art treasures were collected at Rosenborg Castle, among other things items from the estates of deceased royalty and from Christiansborg after the fire there in 1794.
Soon the idea of a museum arose, and that was realised in 1833, which is The Royal Danish Collection’s official year of establishment.