The medieval church of Saint Peter and Paul in Kaarma is one of the most interesting sights in Saaremaa island. The building was probably started right after the uprising of Saaremaa inhabitants in 1261. It was a typical church of the Osilia Bishophric - a simple nave with a slightly narrower choir. The steeple was added in the 15th century and thus Kaarma became the first church with a steeple on Saaremaa.
The church is built on unstable ground and during construction an accident seems to have occurred, and part of it seem to have collapsed. The nave did not acquire its present vaults until the 15th century. The relatively wide nave was divided into two aisles for safety purposes. Sometime prior to the 15th century reconstructions, a room with a fireplace was built above the vestry. This room could serve as a place of refuge for the colonizers from the angry natives of Saaremaa. Later, it became shelter for pilgrims who followed a route that included churches on the island of Gotland and Saaremaa.
The murals on the northern wall of the choir originate from the old church. They depict a painted illusionary window and a scene with St. Christopher. Unfortunately, only the legs seem to have survived. The proceedings were observed by a hermit carrying a lantern.
Many pieces of art have survived in Kaarma church. There is a medieval baptismal font (13th century) and a wooden sculpture of St. Simon of Cyrene (mid-15th century) standing under the pulpit. The pulpit, dating from 1645, is also worth noting. The present Neo-Gothic altarpiece depicts a painting by O. von Moeller of Christ on the Cross. The niches in the altar was formerly filled by medeival carvings of the apostles. These sculptures can now be seen in the Saaremaa Museum in Kuressaare.
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.