Does the historic and elitist institution of the country house estate have a role and purpose in Denmark's egalitarian society? Explain.
Today the class visited Egeskov Castle in Jutland, Denmark. There, we walked around the premises and within the castle itself. Because Denmark is an egalitarian society, where people are ensured equal rights and opportunities, the Egeskov Castle seems somewhat out of place and contradictory in terms of social values. The first striking observation that is likely to divide classes is the fact that visitors have to pay to get in—and it's not very cheap. The majority of people who visit this historic park tend to be middle to upper class. Lower-income families have a greater chance of being left out from enjoying this greenspace and other amenities the park has to offer.
Although the historic, elitist castle seems contradictory in an egalitarian society, it does some serve some functions that can be quite valuable to Denmark. One of the main important roles of the castle is to provide those who visit the park with greenspace. The premise consists of unique gardens, such as the fuchsia flower gardens, herb gardens, mazes, etc. They are also experimenting a lot with organic farming. Egeskov has some organic vegetable gardens, but they are planning to expand organic agriculture even more. The park also has ponds that surround the castle. While I was walking around, I felt very relaxed being surrounded by the greenspace, and the animals that inhabit them.
Another role of Egeskov is to provide education and history to its visitors. There are tours that are given around the castle, as well as in the castle. There are also signs in front of each item in the different exhibitions which provide the public with education on the history of the castle.
Egeskov Castle is great for Danish tourism. People from all over, including places throughout Denmark, come to visit. The park is very family oriented, and appeals to different demographics in different ways.
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