Christiansborg

• Address: Prins Jørgens Gård 1, 1218 København, Denmark
• Phone: +45 33 92 64 92
• Website: christiansborg.dk
• Email: christiansborg@slke.dk
• Beginning of construction: 1733 year
• Opening: 1928
• Architect: E.D. Heuser
• Working hours: 10.00 - 17.00
• The cost of visiting: adult - 110 DKK, student - 95 DKK, children - 55 DKK

The majestic Christianborg Palace in Copenhagen (Christiansborg Slot) is one of those original sights that will help you to get a better feel for the spirit of the Danish capital and to touch its history. This majestic building rises in the old part of town, on the island of Slotsholmen. The first stones in its construction were laid even more than 10 centuries ago, but since then its original appearance has changed dramatically due to numerous destruction, alterations and restorations.

Historical digression

In 1167, the Christiansborg Palace did not actually exist: in its place was erected an ordinary, unremarkable Danish castle . However, centuries of wars and natural disasters did not pass without a trace, so the building was reconstructed in the palace in 1733-1740s, and the layout was close to modern. In 1778-1779, the famous painter NA Abilgore put his hand to decorating the building, placing in it his own painted canvases depicting scenes from Danish history, and then supplemented them with 10 desi-ports (decorative compositions located above the door) in 1791.

Since 1849, in Kristiansborg, located almost in the center of Copenhagen, the Danish Parliament met. In 1884, a large fire occurred in the palace, after which it was restored by Jörgensen, which gave him some features of the neo-baroque architectural style.

A real old palace

Now Christiansborg is still a royal residence, where receptions and other events of national importance are held. The length of the canals surrounding the palace is 2 kilometers, and the castle is connected with 8 bridges. Premises of the palace are still predominantly under the jurisdiction of the Danish parliament - folketing. There is also the hall of the Supreme Court of Denmark and the office of the Danish Prime Minister.

The most noteworthy element of the building, visible to tourists even from afar, is the palace tower 106 meters high, the spire of which is decorated with two crowns. Some rooms of the castle Christiansborg are available for excursions. Among them:

• The park, which is decorated with magnificent fountains and monuments;
• royal reception rooms, richly decorated with unique paintings and statues of their kind and famous for their luxurious interiors;
• a palace chapel (in it crowns and crosses of descendants of the Danish royal dynasty till now crown);
• a hall with original tapestries, which local businessmen presented to Queen Margrethe;
• the ruins of an ancient Copenhagen fortress and a medieval castle belonging to Bishop Absalon.

In the royal chambers, a special reception is made by the reception hall, where solemn events such as dinners, banquets, etc. are held. The Knight's Hall is decorated with a collection of tapestries that were donated to Queen Margrethe in 1990 to her 55th birthday. These works of art by Björn Nögarda paint a thousand-year history of the Danish kingdom. The ceiling of the Throne Room is decorated with a fresco dedicated to the legend of the Danish flag of Dannebrog. He, according to legend, was given to the Danes by God himself, which helped them win the battle in Estonia.

Tourists interested in history and art should definitely look into the Court Theater and its museum, as well as visit the library and the stables. The Royal Library holds about 80,000 volumes. Now in the palace of Christiansborg live about 20 horses, mostly white suits in speckles. Also worthy of attention is the equestrian statue of the famous Christian monarch, who meets the guests of the castle at the entrance to it.

If there are no parliamentary sessions, you may be allowed to look into the working classrooms of the deputies. During the meetings, tourists are allowed to attend the debates of the people's representatives for free, but only together with the guide. For a long time you will remember the exposition of the royal carriages, some of which were given to the monarchs by their contemporaries themselves. In the local museum you can also see collections of antique clothes and firearms.

The charm of the castle lies in the fact that it carefully preserves the history of Denmark, which, of course, will be of interest to foreign travelers. Thus, many paintings and statues depict kings and members of their families, and the walls of some rooms are draped with red Syrian silk, the secret of production which has recently been lost. Effectively look in the form of decor elements and bas-reliefs of metal.

How to get to the palace?

To get to the castle, you should take buses 1A, 2A, 15, 26 or 29 and get off at the Børsen (København) stop. Also there are trains: from Copenhagen Central Station or Nørreport Station to the building is within easy reach.

The nearest metro stops are Kongens Nytorv or Nørreport. It will also be interesting to visit a few more castles located in the Danish capital - Amalienborg and Rosenborg .