Rosenborg Castle ( da, Rosenborg Slot) is a
renaissance
The Renaissance ( , ) , from , with the same meanings. is a period in European history marking the transition from the Middle Ages to modernity and covering the 15th and 16th centuries, characterized by an effort to revive and surpass ide ...
castle
A castle is a type of fortified structure built during the Middle Ages predominantly by the nobility or royalty and by military orders. Scholars debate the scope of the word ''castle'', but usually consider it to be the private fortified r ...
located in Copenhagen,
Denmark
)
, song = ( en, "King Christian stood by the lofty mast")
, song_type = National and royal anthem
, image_map = EU-Denmark.svg
, map_caption =
, subdivision_type = Sovereign state
, subdivision_name = Kingdom of Denmark
, establish ...
. The castle was originally built as a country summerhouse in 1606 and is an example of
Christian IV's many architectural projects. It was built in the
Dutch Renaissance
The Renaissance in the Low Countries was a cultural period in the Northern Renaissance that took place in around the 16th century in the Low Countries (corresponding to modern-day Belgium, the Netherlands and French Flanders).
Culture in the Lo ...
style, typical of Danish buildings during this period, and has been expanded several times, finally evolving into its present condition by the year 1624.
Architects
An architect is a person who plans, designs and oversees the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to provide services in connection with the design of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the buildings that h ...
Bertel Lange and
Hans van Steenwinckel the Younger are associated with the structural planning of the castle.
History
The castle was used by Danish regents as a royal residence until around 1710. After the reign of
Frederik IV
Frederick IV (Danish: ''Frederik''; 11 October 1671 – 12 October 1730) was King of Denmark and Norway from 1699 until his death. Frederick was the son of Christian V of Denmark-Norway and his wife Charlotte Amalie of Hesse-Kassel.
Early life
...
, Rosenborg was used as a royal residence only twice, and both these times were during emergencies. The first time was after
Christiansborg Palace
Christiansborg Palace ( da, Christiansborg Slot; ) is a palace and government building on the islet of Slotsholmen in central Copenhagen, Denmark. It is the seat of the Danish Parliament ('), the Danish Prime Minister's Office, and the Supreme ...
burned down in 1794, and the second time was during the
British attack on Copenhagen in 1801.
Architecture
Long Hall
Located on the third floor, the Long Hall was completed in 1624. It was originally intended as a ballroom. Around 1700 it was used as Royal Reception Room and for banquets. It was not until the second half of the 19th century that it became known as the "Knight's Hall".
Christian V
Christian V (15 April 1646 25 August 1699) was king of Denmark and Norway from 1670 until his death in 1699.
Well-regarded by the common people, he was the first king anointed at Frederiksborg Castle chapel as absolute monarch since the dec ...
had the hall partly modernised with twelve tapestries depicting the King's victories in the
Scanian War
The Scanian War ( da, Skånske Krig, , sv, Skånska kriget, german: Schonischer Krieg) was a part of the Northern Wars involving the union of Denmark–Norway, Brandenburg and Sweden. It was fought from 1675 to 1679 mainly on Scanian soil, ...
(1675–1679). The stucco ceiling seen today is from the beginning of the 18th century. It shows the
Danish Coat of Arms surrounded by the
Orders of the Elephant and of
Dannebrog. Side reliefs depict historical events from the first years of the reign of
Frederik IV
Frederick IV (Danish: ''Frederik''; 11 October 1671 – 12 October 1730) was King of Denmark and Norway from 1699 until his death. Frederick was the son of Christian V of Denmark-Norway and his wife Charlotte Amalie of Hesse-Kassel.
Early life
...
, including the liberation of the serfs, the founding of the
dragoon
Dragoons were originally a class of mounted infantry, who used horses for mobility, but dismounted to fight on foot. From the early 17th century onward, dragoons were increasingly also employed as conventional cavalry and trained for combat w ...
s and of the land militia among them. The frescos in the ceiling by
Hendrick Krock, represent the Regalia.
Among the main attractions of Rosenborg are the
coronation chair
The Coronation Chair, known historically as St Edward's Chair or King Edward's Chair, is an ancient wooden chair on which British monarchs sit when they are invested with regalia and crowned at their coronations. It was commissioned in 1296 by ...
of the absolutist kings and the throne of the queens with the three silver lions standing in front. The Long Hall also contains a large collection of silver furniture, of which most is from the 17th century.
Rosenborg Collections
The castle is open to the public for tours and houses a museum exhibiting the Royal Collections, artifacts spanning a breadth of royal Danish culture, from the late 16th century of
Christian IV to the 19th century. Some of these articles once belonged to the nobility and the aristocracy. The castle, now state property, was opened to the public in 1838.
Of special interest to tourists is a treasury displaying the
Crown Jewels and the
Danish Crown Regalia located in the castle. A
Coronation Carpet is also stored there. The
Throne Chair of Denmark is located in the castle. In the summer time, flowers bloom in front of the castle in the castle garden.
Gardens
The castle is situated in ''
Kongens Have'' ("The King's Garden"), also known as "
Rosenborg Castle Garden". The Rosenborg Castle Garden is the country's oldest royal garden and was embellished in the Renaissance style by Christian IV shortly before the construction of the main castle. Today, the gardens are a popular retreat for the people of Copenhagen, and attract an estimated 2.5 million visitors every year. Next to the castle are barracks where the
Royal Life Guards is garrisoned. The Life Guard guards the castle.
Gallery
Image:Kopenhagen Rosenborg Slot.jpg, Frontal view
Image:Rosenborg2.jpg, View from the west
Image:Rosenborg Castle in Copenhagen2.jpg, Right view
Image:Rosenborg Slot, Copenhagen 008 edited.jpg, Rear of Rosenborg Castle
Image:Crown_of_King_Christian_IV_of_Denmark.jpg, Crown of King Christian IV. On display at the castle
Image:Denmark globus cruciger.jpg, Denmark's globus cruciger. On display at the castle.
See also
*
List of castles and palaces in Denmark
*
Tourism in Denmark
*
Oldenburg Horn
The Oldenburg Horn () is a mid 15th-century drinking horn with House of Oldenburg associations, made of gilded silver richly decorated with enamel, now on display in Rosenborg Castle in Copenhagen, Denmark.
History
In the 13th and 14th centuries, ...
References
External links
*
Copenhagen-Portal - Rosenborg Castle and HistoryOfficial siteThe Association of Castles and Museums around the Baltic Sea
{{Authority control
Castles in Denmark
Buildings and structures in Copenhagen parks
Historic house museums in Copenhagen
Museums in Copenhagen
Royal residences in Denmark
Tourist attractions in Copenhagen
Houses completed in 1624
1624 establishments in Denmark
Brick buildings and structures
Renaissance architecture in Copenhagen