45 kmLyø in the South Funen Archipelago
Ferry, island atmosphere and a slow pace work well as an excursion from Langeland and the castle setting.
Tranekær Castle stands high on its castle mound with red walls, stepped gables and moat ditches as part of the experience. It is not a castle you simply walk into; the strongest impression comes from seeing the complex from the outside, where it rises above the town and the landscape as a very concrete landmark on northern Langeland.
The castle park and Borgsø are open to the public for admission, and a wide walking trail leads around the lake with changing views of the castle. Here it makes sense to let your gaze wander between water, trees and masonry rather than looking for one specific façade. On the north shore stands the so-called Skomagereg with a small sign bearing the poem “Træets Bøn” in a translation by Frank Jæger, who lived in Tranekær for a number of years.
In the castle park lies TICKON, where Danish and international artists have created land art for this very place. The works are made of organic materials such as wood, soil and stone, and the point is not eternal durability. They are meant to become part of nature, change over time, and eventually break down. That fits unusually well with a place where a medieval castle, manor house and park are constantly layered on top of one another.
Tranekær Castle Park is home to TICKON, where land art is not placed as decoration beside nature, but built into the landscape. Since 1993, more than 20 Danish and international artists have created works here.
Many works are made of wood, earth and stone and are intended to change with weather, season and decay. The artworks are located especially around the castle lake, where the boundary between artwork and landscape can be surprisingly blurred.
