Kyle Magnuson

California - United States of America - 05-Feb-25 -

Suggestion for an updated nomination: future tentative list

Copenhagen remains without a world heritage site, though that may change in a few years. Rosenborg Castle would have been a prime candidate if it was put forward in the mid-1990's. However, today as a standalone monument? Despite its merits, a new approach is needed.

I would propose a Dutch Renaissance Castles of Denmark nomination centered on Rosenborg Castle and Frederiksborg Castle. In fact, the Dutch architect Hans van Steenwinckel the Younger was a favorite architect of Christian IV and played a significant role in both Rosenborg and Frederiksborg. 

Denmark is pursuing more fossil and cliff site nominations . . . yeah, not so exciting. Yet, we have learned ICOMOS is not entirely opposed to more 'traditional' nominations, if the dossier is thorough and the selected criteria offers a unique quality or value worthy of inscription. The successful nomination of Mafra in Portugal comes to mind. I believe there is a fine balance for well-represented countries in regards to what kind of nominations they deliver to Paris. Yes, the Seaweed Houses in Denmark sound interesting, but that does not mean every new tentative nomination needs to be a cultural landscape, an example of vernacular architecture, or a transnational nomination.

Read more from Kyle Magnuson here.