This article is about the original location. For the castle with the same name from Once Upon a Time, see Arendelle Castle (Once Upon a Time).
Arendelle Castle is the home of Anna and Elsa in the Frozen franchise. It is located in a defensive position guarding the fjord that leads to Arendelle's harbor. Due to Elsa's unstable control of her powers, the castle grounds were considered off-limits to the outside world by her parents, out of concern for the kingdom's protection, along with Anna's and Elsa's as well.
After thirteen years, Anna helps Elsa finally gain control of her powers, declaring to never again close the castle gates, therefore allowing visitors into the castle.
Background[]
Layout[]
Originally the castle of Arendelle was only going to be designed with a few motifs from a stave church, but the art director of Frozen, John Lasseter, encouraged the artists to fully celebrate holistically the unique qualities of these structures.
The east side of the castle is where the main gates are located below a clock and in between two smaller doors, one on each side, all connected to Arendelle via a bridge. The doors to the castle are direct across from these gates and to the left and right of the gates are towers. The only tower on the right and the immediate one on the left are equidistant from the gates, identical, and bear a shield with Arendelle's crest. Along the wall between the gates and these two towers are shields of various designs and colors, each unique. There is a slightly taller tower further left at the end of the east wall, and across from the first left tower is the front end of the chapel where Elsa is crowned.
The north side of Arendelle's castle is the most fortified with four towers, each of differing shape, height and width, and a thick, protruding, and high stone wall. On the farthest right is the tallest and widest tower to the left of that is a shorter, square-shaped tower and between the two is the fortified, protruding wall. To the left of this tower seems to be a part of the castle based on the similar design of a spire and the roof. Across from the backside of the chapel is a heavier, square-shaped tower, wider and shorter than the other. And to the left of that is the end of the north wall and a more familiar though shorter tower with a similar circle shape and cylindrical roof design as the towers on the east side of the castle.
The south side is connected to the lighthouse which is one of the two structures marking the opening in which ships must pass through to enter into Arendelle. Anna sees the ships coming in from this side during "For the First Time in Forever".
There are many candelabras and paintings seen along the walls of the castle and only a few doors are decorated compared to the many, white, single-doors seen throughout the castle.
One staircase is shown spiraling down along the right during "For the First Time in Forever" with two separate, white doors on the walls. A circular painting and several suits of armors along the wall are at the bottom of this staircase. Only one other staircase is shown in the castle if the one young Elsa and Anna used to go build a snowman, and the staircase Elsa and her parents are seen in front of, are the same one.
Places of interest[]
- Arendelle Chapel: Where King Agnarr and later Elsa were crowned the rulers of Arendelle.
- Elsa's Bedroom: Where Elsa sleeps. After she hit Anna with her magic, Agnarr and Iduna relocated Elsa to this room until she garnered complete control over her powers. During the isolation, this was where Elsa mostly stayed and hardly ever came out.
- Anna's Bedroom: Where Anna sleeps. Anna and Elsa used to share this room until their parents decided to separate them to ensure Anna's safety.
- The King and Queen's Quarters: Where King Agnarr and Queen Iduna slept until they died.
- Chaise Lounge: Where Elsa practices holding the scepter and orb but freeze the candle and jewelry box. Also where Hans locks Anna and leaves her to freeze to death until Olaf comes to her rescue and later, where Anna, Elsa, Kristoff, Olaf, and Sven hold a game of charades.
- The Library: The library is a massive room with tons of books. It’s never shown in the films, but it is presumably a huge room in the castle, similar to the Library in Beast’s Castle.
- The Great Hall: A massive room at the entrance of the castle. It holds a staircase that leads to multiple floors and multiple rooms.
- The Council Chamber: Where meetings are held.
- The Hallways: Where Anna and Hans slide on the wood wearing socks.
- The Portrait Room: Where Anna talks to the paintings and pictures for the company.
- The Garden: Where Anna roams around and sees her Goose and gosling friends.
- The Courtyard: Where the crowd of people hangs during the coronation and at the end where Elsa creates an ice rink.
- The Throne Room: Where Anna and Elsa used to play in with Elsa's magic snow. Then on Elsa's coronation, there was a party until Elsa accidentally exposes her powers. Elsa's throne is there too, though when King Agnarr and Queen Iduna were ruling, two thrones were present in the room.
- The Balcony: Where Hans and Anna spend time with each other.
- The Stables: Where Anna and Hans play hide-and-seek and where the horses are kept.
- The Castle Towers: Where Anna and Hans hang and explore.
- The Dungeon: Where Elsa was held prisoner until she escapes.
- The Roofs: Where Anna and Hans sat for a while. Later, Olaf and Anna slide down them to escape the castle.
- The Attic: Where Anna and Elsa's trunks containing their childhood belongings are stored.
- Ice Containment: Not shown in the movies, but is presumably under the castle where they store ice after the defrosting of Arendelle.
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
- The castle was constructed during the reign of King Runeard when Agnarr was just a boy.[2]
- The name "Arendelle" is based on the Norwegian town of Arendal, which is located southwest of the Norwegian capital, Oslo.
- The scene where Elsa and Anna were playing in the Great Hall by turning it into a winter wonderland with Elsa's winter magic in the ballroom may also be a hint towards the ending. After being accepted by the citizens and visitors for her magical nature, Elsa turns the courtyard into an ice rink, even asking if they're ready, with there being a slight difference between the two times: "Ready?" as a child, and "Are you ready?" as an adult.
- The Great Hall is also where Anna learns about Elsa's winter magical nature once again, along with the citizens and the visitors. While as children, it would be a happy experience, as adults it would be a terrifying experience for the citizens, visitors, Anna, and more importantly for Elsa.
- There are some parts of the Arendelle Castle wall that are historically inaccurate. The castle wall is missing two lookout towers with lookout stations. The lookout stations would have merlons with gaps in between them and machicolations that have arrow holes in between them.
- The castle wall should have defenses at the top that should be in between the walkway and the blue roof. There should be merlons with gaps and the merlons should have arrowslits in them. The defenses should have machicolations that have arrow holes in between them. The gatehouse should have two metal gates in it. The palace should have two lookout stations for the guards. The rock island should be higher.
- In the deleted ending of Frozen II, the castle was destroyed by the flood caused by the destruction of Runeard's Dam until writers changed it.
