Amalienborg Palace

Amalienborg

　 Introduction Amalienborg Palace is situated on the shores of the Øresund Strait in the eastern part of Copenhagen and is the primary royal palace of the Danish monarchy. The current monarch, Queen Margrethe II, lives here. Copenhagen is also known as the "City of Queens" because of the Queen's residence.

In the mid-18th century, the royal family resided in Christiansborg Palace. At that time, King Frederick V decided to create a new city center and designated the area where Amalienborg now stands. He gifted the land to the four most prominent nobles of the time, instructing each to build an identical palace that would together form a grand palace complex. The palaces were designed by the renowned architect Nicolai Eigtved and were constructed between 1754 and 1760. They were built to face each other, forming an octagonal courtyard. In 1768, French sculptor Saly was commissioned to create a bronze equestrian statue of King Frederick V, which was placed in the center of the square. Before Christiansborg Palace was destroyed by fire in 1794, these buildings were occupied by the nobility. After the royal family moved in, it became their official residence and remains so to this day. Today, if the Queen is not abroad on official duties but is instead conducting state affairs at the palace, the Danish flag is raised above the building.

Areas open to the public include several private rooms with preserved interiors, as well as Christian VII’s Palace, which houses a collection of valuable royal artifacts. There’s no better place to get up close and personal with royalty than wandering through these majestic royal palaces—you might even bump into a prince unexpectedly.

Today, just as captivating to visitors from around the world as the architecture of Amalienborg is the daily Royal Guard Changing of the Guard ceremony at noon. Like the famous Flag Guard at Beijing’s Tiananmen Square, the Royal Guard of Amalienborg is highly trained and strictly disciplined. At exactly 12:00 noon every day, the guards, dressed in striking historical uniforms, perform a perfectly synchronized march and music-accompanied shift change. This moment draws large crowds of spectators to the palace grounds. This unique ceremony has become one of Amalienborg’s most distinctive features and contributes significantly to Denmark’s tourism revenue. Transportation A 5-minute walk from the Hofsbrogade canal.

Admission/Ticket Prices & Opening Hours Adults: 45 DKK; Children: 10 DKK.

Opening Hours: 10:00/11:00 AM – 4:00 PM (Closed on Mondays).

■ Copenhagen, Denmark