Island of imagination, Hillerød Travel Guide

King Frederik VII once slipped away from court life at nearby Frederiksborg Castle to seek peace on this secluded island in Breddam Lake, deep in the Præstevang forest. Here, away from rigid etiquette, he could relax, fish and spend time with Countess Danner under far more informal conditions. To ensure privacy, the island was separated from the mainland by a dug canal, turning what had been a peninsula into a true retreat. Even today, the sense of withdrawal from the outside world is strong as you approach through the trees and catch your first glimpse of the water.The island sits in the northern part of Store Dyrehave, the former royal hunting forest, so the idea of escape is woven into the landscape itself. Deer once roamed these woods for royal sport; now walkers, families and history‑minded explorers inherit the paths instead. The combination of royal backstory and simple woodland quiet is what gives the Island of Imagination its particular atmosphere.

In 1859 the king built a small "light palace" here, designed in the romantic English garden style. It was constructed in rough granite boulders, softened by elegant arched windows that let the forest and lake views pour inside. The building measured only about 7.5 by 10 metres, with a generous hall or dining room and a two‑storey annexe containing a kitchen and four compact bedrooms. It was never meant to impress in scale; instead, it was an intimate stage for leisurely evenings by the water.Time, however, has not been kind to this refuge. The annexe was demolished in 1905, and the decaying main building was removed in the 1960s. Today a single granite gable with pointed window arches survives, rising like a fragment of a fairy‑tale castle door. Standing in front of it, you are invited to reconstruct the missing walls, windows and rooms in your mind, guided only by the shape of the stone and the gentle slope of the ground where the rest of the palace once stood.

Although little of the structure remains, descriptions of the interior make the island’s nickname easy to understand. In the main hall, the ceiling beams were decorated with oyster shells and glass bottles arranged in careful patterns. When the light from three oak chandeliers caught the glass, the ceiling shimmered like a starry night sky. Guests would dine or talk beneath this man‑made firmament while the lake lay dark outside the windows, a clever piece of theatrical design in an otherwise rustic setting.Frederik VII also enjoyed weaving myths into his surroundings. Close to the ruin you can see the remains of a stone mound intended to evoke ancient Nordic burial hills and sagas. In reality, it hid the island’s toilet. Nearby lies a large bowl‑shaped stone the king claimed came from the medieval Ebelholt Monastery as an old baptismal font, although it was in fact a water trough for horses. Such touches reveal a monarch who delighted in blurring fact and story, turning the island into a playful stage set of history.

The landscape design on Fantasiens Ø was planned with as much care as the building itself. All native Danish tree species were represented on or around the island, creating a kind of living botanical collection in miniature. Walking the narrow paths, you pass changing bark textures and leaf shapes, from dark conifers to light‑filtered deciduous canopies that shift with the seasons. In spring, fresh green leaves frame the ruins delicately; in autumn, fallen colours gather at the base of the old stones.Because the island sits within a larger forest and beside still water, it offers a rich sense of place despite its modest size. Birdsong carries easily across the lake, and the reflections of trunks and branches on the surface double the scenery. The stone fragments of the palace, the mound and scattered boulders feel woven into this natural fabric rather than imposed upon it, so that the human story and the woodland setting are inseparable.

The Island of Imagination is not a spectacle to race through but a small space to linger. Visitors typically wander the short trails, circle the ruin, and pause to examine the carved monogram stone, the bowl‑shaped trough and the camouflaged mound. Children often enjoy seeking out these details like clues in a story, while adults tend to savour the solitude and the feeling of standing inside a half‑remembered fairy tale.Benches and natural sitting spots along the shore make it easy to stop and watch the lake. On calm days, the water can be mirror‑smooth, amplifying the mood of stillness; in wind, ripples and rustling leaves give the site a more dramatic tone. Whatever the weather, the island invites unhurried exploration, encouraging you to imagine the flicker of chandeliers, the murmur of royal conversation and the stars once conjured from glass and shell above the king’s hidden retreat.