Fairytale palaces and castles, the other jewel of Copenhagen

Denmark

The consolidation of the Danish monarchy has made its capital home to architectural treasures of incalculable value

Everything you need to know for a getaway to Copenhagen

Martha Pascual

There are many destinations in Europe famous for their castles and palaces. Edinburgh, Vienna, Saint Petersburg, the Loire Valley, Sintra… Although we rarely think of the northern countries, the Scandinavian powerhouses have a lot to offer when it comes to palatial architecture. The clearest example is Copenhagen. Among the contrasts of the capital stands out the perfect harmony between the opulence of the crown buildings and the authenticity of the hippie neighborhood of Christiania, an area governed by its own rules.

Copenhagen is a capital ahead of its time, a cradle of design and sustainability where there is always room for its medieval past. Proof of this are the castles that it houses, scattered inside and outside the city. Walking through the old part of the city it is possible to come across Christiansborg, Amalienborg and Rosenborg; while less than thirty minutes by bus we will be in front of authentic architectural treasures, such as Kronborg and Frederiksborg. Each fortress has something to offer.

The Changing of the Guard at Amalienborg Palace

The rush of tourists and the trumpets announcing the changing of the guard are the clues to follow to find Amalienborg Palace, located in the heart of Copenhagen. This palatial complex made up of four rococo-style buildings has been the royal residence of the Danish monarchy for 150 years. Every day at mid-morning, the long-awaited royal guard parade takes place, taking the queen's soldiers through Copenhagen's Latin Quarter, Ostergade and Kongens Nytorv, ending at Amalienborg Palace, where the acclaimed relief.

In addition to attending this pompous act, it is worth visiting the interior of Christian VIII's palace, the only one open to the public and which houses the Amalienborg museum. Its rooms full of photographs, portraits and historical furniture allow you to go back more than a century and imagine what life was like for monarchs back then. The main hall of the palace continues to be the scene of receptions and galas that Margarita II attends regularly. If when you approach the palace of Christian IX you see that the flag is raised, it means that the queen is at home and you may be lucky enough to see her enter or leave her residence... It would not be the first time!

The floating islands that will populate Copenhagen in 2021

To the political importance of this palace we must add its tourist attraction. The ruins of the former buildings remain open to the public, who can visit the old moat, the walls and the remnants of Christiansborg's nine centuries of history.

In addition, it is also possible to enter the stables, the library, the throne room, the royal rooms and the impressive tapestry room. The last ace up the sleeve of this monument is the Christiansborg tower, whose entrance was restricted exclusively to members of royalty for almost a century. Today, it offers the best views of Copenhagen. And they are free.

The King's Gardens are the main urban park in central Copenhagen

The jewels of Rosenborg Castle

Strolling through the King's Gardens, the main urban park in the center of Copenhagen, it is possible to find street artists, families having picnics, athletes, colorful sculptures... and a castle that is more than four hundred years old! The Danish King Christian IV ordered the construction of this majestic fortress in 1606 as a summer and recreational residence, for which he erected some beautiful gardens and an orchard that today make up the oldest park in the capital.

The exterior beauty of the castle is only comparable to the treasures it houses inside: silver lions, royal tapestries, a throne with a built-in toilet... These original items have remained intact since the 18th century.

Also, if you are looking for more reasons to visit Rosenborg Castle, you should know that it houses one of the most valuable assets in the country: the jewelery collection of the royal house of Denmark. The showcases in the Rosenborg showroom house the crowns of historic Danish kings and queens, sceptres, and earrings and rings made of diamonds and other precious stones. Only on a few occasions, some of these jewels have left the castle to accompany Queen Margarita II to some event of special relevance.

Hamlet and Kronborg Castle

About 45 kilometers from Copenhagen, in the coastal city of Elsinore, is the castle that inspired Shakespeare himself to set Hamlet. The ins and outs of the characters in this classic took place in a place very similar to Kronborg Castle. Walking through the corridors and rooms of the castle means evoking each page of the most famous dramatic work of all time. Also, if you are lucky enough to visit Kronborg in the summer you may be able to attend one of the famous summer performances of the play.

Kronborg Castle was built on the shores of the Baltic to collect tolls from freight ships

The appearance of an impregnable bastion that Kronborg projects is nothing more than a smoke screen, since its origin was more political than defensive. The Danish king Eric of Pomerania had a fortress built on the shores of the Baltic to collect tolls from merchandise ships that wanted to cross the sea.

Today, the castle has become a tourist and historical attraction that has made it stand as one of the few heritage monuments of humanity in Denmark. However, the true value of Kronborg lies in its underground passageways, where the statue of the legendary Danish hero Holger rests, who will only wake up when Denmark is at war and needs his help...

The magnetism of Frederiksborg Castle

If all the previous palaces and castles had a characteristic that differentiated them from the rest, in the case of Frederiksborg it is impossible to keep only one. This beautiful Renaissance fortress built in Hillerød, 40 kilometers from Copenhagen, has everything a castle should offer: history, art and a halo of mystery. The palace complex is built on three lakes and is considered the largest castle in Scandinavia. It dates from the 16th century and took almost seventy years to complete.

The careful setting that surrounds Frederiksborg aims not only to attract visitors, but also to reproduce the luxury and elegance that it had in its time. Get your camera ready, because the castle can be photographed from practically any corner. It will catch you! Due to its beauty, both exterior and interior, for several decades the building has housed the National History Museum of Denmark, a collection of authentic jewels among which are the most valuable portraits and canvases in the country. Do you still need more reasons to tour the best palaces and castles in Copenhagen?