Amalienborg, Copenhagen, Denmark

Amalienborg is the winter home of the Danish royal family. It consists of four identical classicizing palace façades with rococo interiors around an octagonal courtyard; in the centre of the square is a monumental equestrian statue of Amalienborg's founder, King Frederick V.

Amalienborg was originally built for four noble families; however, when Christiansborg Palace burnt down on 26 February 1794, the royal family bought the palaces and moved in. Over the years various kings and their families have resided in the four different palaces. Amalienborg is the centrepiece of Frederiksstaden, a district that was built by King Frederick V to commemorate in 1748 the tercentenary of the Oldenburg family's ascent to the throne of Denmark, and in 1749 the tercentenary of the coronation of Christian I of Denmark. This development is generally thought to have been the brainchild of DanishAmbassador Plenipotentiary in Paris, Johann Hartwig Ernst Bernstorff. Heading the project was Lord High Steward Adam Gottlob Moltke, one of the most powerful and influential men in the land, with Nicolai Eigtved as royal architect and supervisor.

According to Eigtved’s master plans for Frederikstad and the Amalienborg Palaces, the four palaces surrounding the plaza were conceived of as town mansions for the families of chosen nobility. They were identical from the outside, but different on the inside. The building site for each palace was donated free of charge to the chosen aristocrat to build on, and they were further exempted from taxes and duties. The only conditions were that the palaces should comply exactly to the Frederikstad architectural specifications, and that they should be built within a specified time framework.

Building of the palaces on the western side of the square started in 1750. When Eigtved died in 1754 the two western palaces had been completed. The work on the other palaces was continued by Eigtved's colleague and rival, Lauritz de Thurah strictly according to Eigtved’s plans. The palaces were completed in 1760.

The four palaces are: Christian VII's Palace, (originally known as Moltke's Palace), Christian VIII's Palace (Levetzau's Palace), Frederick VIII's Palace (Brockdorff's Palace) and Christian IX's Palace (Schack's Palace).

Currently, only the palaces of Christian VII and Christian VIII are open to the public.

References:

Wikipedia

User Reviews

Jakub Brzeski (16 months ago)
The symmetry of the palaces, the changing of the guard, and the historical significance make it a captivating place to visit. It's a must-see for those interested in Danish monarchy and architectural splendor. With that being said, it kinda looks unimpressive with all the picturesque places around.

Annika Shi (16 months ago)
Go there before 11:50AM! Their band playing at 12:00 should be a must see! They actually play super trendy music!

Jorge Bernardo (2 years ago)
Not the grandest palace but very proportionate and balanced. Sheer good taste. Even the ceremonial change of the guard looks more human than in similar venues. Most if not all the soldiers were female on the time of my visit.

Praneel Waghole (2 years ago)
The place is indeed beautiful and was a good experience to witness all the cultural and royal ceremonies. It was explained to me as change of guard ceremony and it was indeed beautiful. Going to attach few snippets of marching as well.

Carla Klein (2 years ago)
What a beautiful place to visit. The change of guard and the official band put an excellent performance for the audience. Quality, pride, tradition, and military values all meet at noon at the main palace square. It's worth the visit. This is my 4th time, and I can't wait to go see it again.

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