Christiansborg Palace

Christiansborg stands on Slotsholmen, the islet where Bishop Absalon built the first castle in 1167. Three palaces have burned or been replaced on the spot, and the present one dates from 1928. The royal reception rooms are open when not in use, hung with the modern tapestries given to the monarch for a birthday; the foundations of the earlier castles survive in a lit undercroft below the courtyard; and the tower, the tallest in the city, is free to climb.

History

Bishop Absalon of Roskilde built the first castle on the islet in 1167, a curtain wall around a courtyard with the bishop's palace and a chapel. After his death in 1201 the castle and the city passed to the bishops of Roskilde, and for almost two centuries kings and bishops contested their ownership; the castle was often attacked, by Wend pirates and the Hanseatic cities among others, and in 1369 the Hanseatic League, having defeated King Valdemar IV, had it demolished stone by stone. Copenhagen Castle rose on the earth-covered ruins in the late 14th century, King Eric VII took it from the bishops in 1417, and by the mid-15th century it was the main residence of the Danish kings and the centre of government. Frederick IV rebuilt it so heavily in the 1720s that the walls began to crack, and Christian VI had it demolished from 1731 to make room for the first Christiansborg, a Baroque palace begun in 1733 to designs by Elias David Häusser. The present building is the third of the name, and the ruins of the two earlier castles, excavated at the start of the 20th century, can be seen beneath it (Wikipedia, Christiansborg Palace).

The main sights

• The royal reception rooms - the grand halls used by the monarch, with the tapestries of Danish history.
• The tower - the free climb to the highest viewpoint in the city.
• The ruins beneath - the excavated remains of the earlier castles.
• The stables and carriage rooms - the royal stables, still working, in the older wing.

When to go

Year-round; a fully indoor set of sights good in any weather. The free tower and its restaurant are a fine clear-day stop. Some rooms close for official use.

Before you go

The various parts, royal rooms, ruins, stables, tower, are separate visits, some ticketed, some free, so plan what you want. Rooms can close for state functions. The free tower is one of the city's best-value viewpoints.

Nearby

The old stock exchange, the Thorvaldsen museum and the canals are around; Nyhavn is a short walk.

Key facts