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The 17th-century cruel prank chair in Copenhagen that soaks and humiliates its victims [1]
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Date: 2025-08-08
This 17th century chair in Copenhagen's Rosenborg Castle comes with an unusual surprise. Although it's in the same collection as the king and queen's thrones, it's actually an elaborate practical joke that soaks and humiliates anyone who sits in it. This peculiar piece of furniture, housed in the castle's Regalia Room, appears to be a normal chair until the unsuspecting visitor takes a seat.
As Atlas Obscura explains, a hidden mechanical system then springs into action: metal bars extend from the armrests to trap the person, while a series of pipes and bellows create sounds mimicking farts. But the real punchline comes from concealed water tanks that spray the captive victim from multiple directions.
The chair's sophisticated plumbing system includes a tank in the backrest that produces the sound of urination, while strategically placed valves in the armrests ensure the sitter's clothes get thoroughly wet. Additional pipes under the seat complete the drenching from below. While several European courts featured similar prank chairs, historians remain uncertain whether these devices served purely as entertainment or had a more calculated purpose of embarrassing specific guests. This chair is the 17th-century version of a whoopee cushion, but much more ruthless.
See also: Chair that casts a monstrous shadow
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