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Amalienborg

Amalienborg is the monarch’s winter residence. The Amalienborg complex consists of four palaces, planned around an octagonal courtyard, in the centre of which stands the French sculptor J.F.J. Saly’s equestrian statue of Frederik V, the founder of Amalienborg Palace and Frederiksstaden, the surrounding district of Copenhagen.

The complex was constructed by Frederik V on the occasion of the 300th anniversary of the coronation of Christian I, the first King of the House of Oldenborg. The site for the four palaces was given to four prominent noblemen, who committed themselves to building identical palaces, designed by the court architect Nicolai Eigtved.

Amalienborg became the royal residence after the fire of Christiansborg Palace, which burnt down in the night between 26 and 27 February 1794. In the course of a few days, the King acquired both the Moltke and Schack Palaces (please see below).

For further information about Amalienborg, please visite the website of the Palaces and Properties Agency.

Christian IX’s Palace

The construction of Christian IX’s Palace, or Schack’s Palace, was commenced in 1750. However, in 1754 Privy Councillor Severin Løvenskjold, who commissioned the building, had to give up in the face of the financial commitments. Countess Anne Sophie Schack took over the Palace and passed it to her step-grandson, Hans Schack.

In 1757, Hans Schack became the son-in-law of Lord High Steward A.G. Moltke, which benefited the quality of the construction work very much, as his father-in-law let him have the use of his best artists and craftsmen for the completion of the interiors.

After the Christiansborg fire, Schack’s Palace was acquired for Crown Prince Frederik (VI). The Palace was linked to Moltke’s Palace by the "Colonnade", a passage at first-floor level, carried by eight Ionic columns, allowing the traffic to continue along Amaliegade.

The Crown Prince, who had governed the country for his sick father since 1784, became King under the name of Frederik VI in 1808. After his death in 1839, the Palace was used, among other things, by the Supreme Court and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

In 1863, the Palace was placed at the disposal of Christian IX, after whom the Palace has been named. "Europe’s father-in-law" lived there until his death in 1906. The home remained untouched until a registration of the estate took place in 1948.

In 1967, the Palace was restored for the successor to the throne, Crown Princess Margrethe and Prince Henrik. The Queen and the Prince Consort still use the Palace as their residence.

Christian VII’s Palace

Christian VII’s Palace, or Moltke’s Palace was erected in the years 1750-54 for Lord High Steward A. G. Moltke. When the Royal Family became homeless after the fire of Christiansborg in 1794, Christian VII bought the Palace.

After the death of Christian VII in 1808, Frederik VI used the Palace for his Royal Household. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs used parts of the Palace in the years 1852-85. From 1885, the Palace was used exclusively to accommodate guests and for ceremonial purposes.

However, for short periods of time, the Palace housed Crown Prince Frederik (IX) and Crown Princess Ingrid, as well as Queen Margrethe and Prince Henrik during the restoration of their respective palaces. In 1971-75, a small kindergarten was established at the Palace, and later on a schoolroom was set up for Crown Prince Frederik and Prince Joachim.

In 1982, the Palaces and Properties Agency started an exterior restoration of the Palace. In 1993-96, with the support of a number of private sponsors, the Agency carried out a general restoration of the interior.

Christian VII’s Palace is occasionally open to the general public. For further information please visite the website the Palaces and Properties Agency.

Christian VIII’s Palace

Christian VIII’s Palace, or Levetzau’s Palace, was built for Privy Councillor Christian Frederik Levetzau in 1750-60. Prince Frederik, the Heir Presumptive, bought the Palace in 1794 and gave the painter and architect Nicolai Abildgaard responsibility for modernisations in the new French Empire style. When the Heir Presumptive died in 1805, his son Prince Christian took over both the Palace and the architect. However, Abildgaard died in 1809, and the modernisation came to a halt. In 1839, Prince Christian became King under the name of Christian VIII, and the Palace was subsequently called Christian VIII’s Palace.

The King died in 1848 and the Queen Dowager, Caroline Amalie, died in 1881. From 1885, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs used parts of the Palace, but had to move in 1898 when the Palace was made the residence of Crown Prince Christian (X) and Princess Alexandrine. After the death of Christian X, the Palace was placed at the disposal of Prince Knud, the Heir Presumptive.

In the 1980s, the Palaces and Properties Agency initiated a much-needed general restoration of the Palace. It was fitted up to house i.a. the residence and reception rooms of the heir to the throne, stores for the Queen’s Reference Library and a museum for the Royal House of Glücksborg, "The Chronological Collections of the Danish Kings, Amalienborg".

For further information, please visit the website of The Royal Danish Collections, Amalienborg

Frederik VIII’s Palace

Frederik VIII’s Palace, or Brockdorff’s Palace, was built in 1750-60 for Baron Joachim Brockdorff. Brockdoff died in 1763, and Lord High Steward A.G. Moltke subsequently acquired the Palace. Two years later, he sold the Palace to Frederik V. From 1767, the Palace served as the Army Cadet Academy.

The cadets had to vacate the Palace when Frederik VI wanted his daughter Princess Vilhelmine and Crown Prince Frederik (VII) to reside there after their wedding. From 1837 when the marriage was dissolved until 1869 when Crown Prince Frederik (VIII) moved in, the Palace housed various members of the Royal Family. The Crown Prince became King in 1906 as Frederik VIII, and the Palace bears his name.

In 1934, the Palace was restored in order to be used by Crown Prince Frederik (IX) and Crown Princess Ingrid. Queen Ingrid lived in the Palace until her death in November 2000.