After the Reformation, Frederik II decreed that Sorø’s monastery should be turned into a school. In 1623, his successor, Christian IV, developed it into the Sorø Academy of Knights, an elite establishment dedicated to the education of the sons of the nobility. Lessons included the art of hunting, behaviour and manners – skills fitting to a noble diplomat.
Although its intake is a little less exclusive these days, Sorø Akademi remains a prominent Danish school and visitors are welcome to stroll through the extensive grounds.
The southern end of Sorø’s main street, Storgade, leads directly to the academy via Klosterporten , a medieval gate that once cloistered the monks from the outside world.
Other medieval monastery buildings were replaced with Renaissance structures – thought to be more conducive to learning – in the 17th century. Ridehuset , immediately west of Klosterporten, was built by Christian IV to stable the horses and dogs used for hunting. Boldhuset , just east of Klosterporten, also dates from the reign of Christian IV and now houses the library.
A statue of the great Danish playwright Ludvig Holberg (1684–1754), who rescued the school after a financial crisis forced it to close, can be found in the garden area in the western part of the grounds. Picturesque walking trails lead west from the statue down to Sorø Sø.
