Rosenborg Castle Copenhagen - Sightseeing Copenhagen

Copenhagen - Rosenborg Castle

*A Part of the Danish Cultural Heritage*

Rosenborg Castle

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Rosenborg Castle
King Christian IVs Castle & The Rose Castle

Online & Onsite Sightseeing - Copenhagen


	10 - most popular tourist site

Rosenborg Castle - Copenhagen

Rosenborg Castle from 1606 houses the Royal Crown jewels and surrounded by the Kings Garden.

Rosenborg Castle - King Christian IV's Castle

Rosenborg Castle is King Christian IVs Castle:
- He built Rosenborg
- He lived all his life at Rosenborg
- He died at his beloved Rosenborg.

King Christian IV - as a boy painted in 1585 by Hans Knieper. He officially succeeded the Danish throne in 1588, just 11 years old and later crowned in 1596 at Copenhagen's Cathedral. The King was born at Frederiksborg Castle in North Zealand - and near the town of Hillerød – almost 40 km from the city centre of Copenhagen - but spent most of his childhood at the old medieval Copenhagen Castle from 1370s - where the present Christiansborg Palace is situated.

In the Thirty Years' War with Sweden - King Christian IV demonstrate a heroism that is remembered by the Danish Nation and glorified is name for ever - as he on the deck of the battleship -Trefoldighed - (Trinity) in 1644 - at the Bay of Kiel was hit by splinters of wood and metal by a exploded canon that wounded him several places and blinding him totally one eye. The King’s bloody clothing from this event is displayed at Rosenborg Castle.

King Christian IV
Beside of being the most famous King in the list of Danish Sovereigns - and known by any purple and adult in the kingdom of Denmark - King Christian IV was also a very popular and enterprising Monarch - who ruled Denmark and Norway from 1588 until his death in 1648. King Christian IV was the son of King Frederik II (1553-1588 - ruled Denmark and Norway 1559-1588) and was born at Frederiksborg Castle in North Zealand in 1577. He succeeded to the throne in 1588 only 11 years old and was later crowned at the age of 19 at Copenhagen Cathedral in 1596. The King resided at the old medieval and cramped Copenhagen Castle - and at Frederiksborg Castle - nearly 40 km from Copenhagen.

A Royal ceremony in 1660 was held outside of the square of ancient Copenhagen Castle, on the right of the painting by Heinrich Hansen, to acclaim King Frederik III as the heir to the throne. King Christian IV lived here until he moved out to his is little summer residence - Rosenborg. In the middle of the painting is the Old Stock Exchange from 1620, and on the left the naval church “Holmens Kirke” inaugurated in 1619. Both properties were built by King Christian IV.

King Christian IV’s birthplace Frederiksborg Castle was rebuilt by the King at the beginning of the 17th century and was used as a Royal residence until the Royal Family moved into Rosenborg Castle around 1610. In 1850s the Castle was again used by King Frederik VII as a Royal residence and in 1859, while he was in residence - a heavy fire destroyed almost all of the Castles interior and other valuable artefacts. Today - the Castle houses the Museum of National History.

Vintage Tourism Poster
Rosenborg Castle - Copenhagen.

King Christian IV and Rosenborg Castle
As a young Monarch King Christian IV had many building projects on the planning stage and one of his first achievements was to establish a new park area in Renaissance Style outside of Copenhagen in the beginning of 1600s called Kongens Have “The Kings Garden”. At that time the King and his family resided in the city at the old outdated Copenhagen Castle from about 1370 - which was patched together and rebuilt several times by many sovereigns.

The “Kings Garden” - and Rosenborg Castle.
As King Christian IVs preferred residence Frederiksborg Castle was situated 40 km away from Copenhagen - he decided to build a summer residence closer to the city - and place the Royal estate in the newly developed “Kings Garden” - and named it Rosenborg Castle.

King Christian IV on horseback in 1638 - outside the ramparts of Copenhagen overlooking his beloved Rosenborg Castle, which was completed a few years earlier in 1634.

Rosenborg Castle in 1749 - with the huge park in Renaissance style called the "Kings Garden", and the kitchens garden as well as the orangery on the left of the painting.

ROSENBORG CASTLE

Sightseeing Tours - Copenhagen. Rosenborg Castle - Copenhagen - Denmark.

Rosenborg Castle 1606-1634
In 1606 the actual landscaping of the park area called "The Kings Garden" (Kongens Have) began and at the same time building construction of Rosenborg Castle started and later developed in stages over a period of almost 22 years. The first building was a two story mansion in Dutch Renaissance style with one tower on the west side - and in 1611 an extra gate tower and drawbridge was built.

Extension of Rosenborg Castle
Extension of the Castle took place between 1613 to 1615 - which turned it into twice the length and size - and later between 1616 and 1624 the Long Hall (The Knights' Hall) was added as a extra story to the Royal property together with the Great Tower on the west side of the Castle and the former two eaves chambers were converted into the existing spire-crowned towers on the east side - which changed the little summer residence from 1606 into a fashionable and comfortable residence for the Royal Family and Household. The Castle still needed a presentable entrance - which was built when King Christian IV was to host the extravagant wedding of his son the Prince Elect Frederik (III) and Princess Magdalena Sibylla in 1634

The present Rosenborg Castle with its beautiful rose garden park. The two spire-crowned towers on the east side was reconstructed in 1616 and the main entrance in the middle was built in 1634.

Rosenborg Castle seen from the west side with the Great Tower from 1616. The moat around the Castle premises is the remains of the old rampart and city moat that surrounded Copenhagen.

The Kings Garden (Kongens Have)
The Kings Garden (Kongens Have) was open to the public in the beginning of the 1700s - and has since been a very popular retreat - as well as a great picnic area for Copenhageners in the centre of city. The entire historical venue at Rosenborg draws nearly 3.0 million visitors every year.

The Royal residence Rosenborg
Most of his adult life King Christian IV lived at his beloved Castle Rosenborg. The King had his quarters in the northern part of the castle and the Queen had her chambers in the southern end. The central part of the Castle was reserved as the Kings Audience room as well as the antechamber and the Great Hall was one of the most visited places at the Royal Court.

The King's daily menu - 16-20 dishes
The Kings normal menu at suppertime often consist of 16-20 assorted dishes - and when Royal Banquets and stately events took place in the Great Hall - the menu for the feast presented the guests with up to 38 different culinary courses - and unlimited beer - wine - as well as Royal entertainers. The Castle was at that time outside the ramparts of Copenhagen - with its own well assorted kitchen and flower gardens plus a large orangey that supplies fresh vegetables - herbs and fruit for the Royal kitchen - as well as flowers for the Royal apartments - and for decorations at Banquets. King Christian IV died at Rosenborg Castle in 1648 at the age of 70 - and is buried in Roskilde Cathedral - where tourists and visitor can see his Sarcophagus in King Christian IV’s Chapel.

King Christian IV on his deathbed at Rosenborg Castle on 28. February - 1648. His favorite daughter Leonora Christine closed his eyes - when he dies peacefully in the afternoon without any pain - in his beloved Castle. The Prince Elect Frederik (III) - later King Frederik III (introduced absolute monarchy) succeeded the throne after his father - and lived at Rosenborg until his death in 1670.

King Christian IV is buried in Roskilde Cathedral together with is wife Queen Anna Cathrine of Brandenburg - and both Sarcophaguses are places in King Christian IV's Chapel together with other Monarchs from the Oldenborg dynasty. The huge painting on the wall shows King Christian IV on the deck of the battleship “Trefoldighed” - (Trinity) in 1644 - where he was wounded and lost an eye.

See: Roskilde Cathedral

Rosenborg Castle after King Christian IV
Rosenborg was used as a Royal residence until around 1710 - when King Christian IV's great grandson King Frederik IV (1671-1730 - ruled Denmark and Norway 1699-1730) left it in favour of his new and more suitable summer residence Frederiksberg Castle built in 1699. Rosenborg Castle became instead a Royal museum - and the setting for the Royal collections - as well as King Christian IV’s marvellous personal collection and historical artefacts together with the many well preserved pieces of interior - which are quite matchless relics today.

Interior in King Christian VI's room at Rosenborg Castle with tapestries displaying the life of Alexander the Great. The room was the former bedroom of Princess Sophie Hedevig - who was the sister to King Frederik IV. Many of the rooms at Rosenborg are equipped with the original furniture and precious artefacts..

The thrones of the Danish Kings and Queens were used from 1671 to 1840 - when the last Danish Monarch King Christian VIII was anointed and crowned as King. The Kings throne is made of pure narwhal tusk in 1662 - and both thrones are placed in the Great Hall with the symbolic silver lions in front.

Royal Residence again in 1794 and 1801
After 1710 - Rosenborg Castle was used twice as Royal residences in a very short period. In 1794 - when the second Christiansborg Palace was raised by fires and the reigning monarch King Christian VII and family became homeless - the Rosenborg property was taken in to use - and then in 1801 - when the British army attacked the city during the naval Battle of Copenhagen.

Many types of special exhibitions are on display at Rosenborg Castle - such as decorative art - furniture and fashion garments plus personal belongings to Royal members of the Oldenborg line. The museum has an extra large collection of objects and artefact that particularly is taken into use for extraordinary presentations at the Castle - including Royal clothing in historical surroundings.

The Crown of King Christian V and Queen Charlotte Amalie was specially designed and made for the crowning of the King in 1671 - and has been used by all kings up to Christian VIII. The Crown is one of the most precious artefacts among the Crown Jewels in the Treasury section beneath Rosenborg Castle. The Crown is made in solid gold plus equipped with enamel - pearls - sapphires - table cut stones and weighs almost 3 kg.

The Crown Jewels - Rosenborg Castle

The Crown Jewels
Rosenborg Castle - Copenhagen.

The Crown Jewels
In 1838 - Rosenborg Castle was opened as a museum to the public with the Royal Crown Jewel and the Danish Crown Regalia kept safely in the castle cellars. The castle museum enlightens the history of the Danish Oldenburg Kings through 300 years - from King Frederik II in the late 16th century to King Frederik VII in the 19th century. After the abolishment of Absolutism in 1849 - the Royal castles and palaces became state property. In 1854 - the last Oldenburg King Frederik VII agreed with the Danish state that the collection was to become entailed property passed on from King to King.

The Royal Life Guards at Rosenborg & Amalienborg

The Royal Life Guards marching from the drill grounds of Rosenborg Castle - and directly to the 4 Amalienborg Palaces for the ceremonial changing of the guards. The drill and exercise grounds at Rosenborg were established in 1730 - by King Frederik IV.

The main duty of The Royal Life Guards is to protect the Royal Family - wherever they are in residence in Denmark. The Royal Guard Regiment was founded in 1658 by King Frederik III - and has a permanent Guard unit at all 4 Amalienborg Palaces in Copenhagen.

The Royal Life Guards at Rosenborg
Beside of protecting the Crown Jewels at Rosenborg Castle the Royal Guard founded in 1658 by King Christian IV’s son King Frederik III (1609-1670 - ruled Denmark and Norway 1648-1670) - the Royal Guards also protects the Royal Family wherever they reside in Denmark. Just next to Rosenborg Castle is the barrack and drill ground of the Royal Guards, which was established around 1730 during the reign of King Frederik IV (1671-1730 - ruled Denmark and Norway 1699-1730).

Amalienborg Palace - The Royal Residence
Visitors can follow The Royal Life Guards marching from Rosenborg Castle at 11:30 am to the present Royal residence Amalienborg Palace - when the Guards exercise the ceremonial changing of the guards at 12:00.

See: Amalienborg Palaces

King Christian IVs buildings

Holmens Naval Church - 1619

Old Stock Exchange - 1620

The Old Citadel - 1625

The Round Tower - 1642

King Christian IV was recognized as the great architect and builder of Copenhagen and during his reign he built and re-establish the most remarkable Renaissance buildings and properties ever seen in history and that are historic landmarks spread all over the city and North Zealand. The best known buildings outside of Copenhagen are the restoration of Kronborg Castle from 1629-1639 as well as Frederiksborg Castle from 1600-1620 - and some of the buildings erected by the King in and around Copenhagen includes King Christian IV’s Brewery from 1608 - the Naval Church from 1619 (Holmens Kirke) - the Stock Exchange from 1620 - the Old Citadel from 1625 - the Round Tower and observatory from 1642 - and last but not least his beloved and most crowning achievement Rosenborg Castle from 1606–1624.

Location
Rosenborg Castle is located just outside of the centre of the city and is placed next to the National Gallery and Botanical Gardens. The Castle is situated next to the pedestrian street “Strøget” and Nørrebro Station.

Rosenborg Castle

Address
Rosenborg Slot - Rosenborg Castle
The Royal Danish Collections
(Crown Jewellery & Treasury)
Øster Voldgade 4
1350 Copenhagen K
Trains: Nørreport

Rosenborg Castle

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To be continued!