Christiansborg Palace, Copenhagen Slot

From the National Museum in Copenhagen, cross the Frederiksholm Kanal to the island of Slotsholm on which stands Christiansborg Palace, seat of the Danish Government and Parliament (Folketing). This building also houses the Foreign Ministry, the Supreme Court and the Queen's Audience Chambers. Parliament and the Royal Rooms can be visited on guided tours.

Picture - Christiansborg, the Danish Parliament.

Picture - Empty guardhouse next to Danish Parliament.

Picture - Christiansborg Castle in Copenhagen.

Picture - Christiansborg Palace in Kobenhavn.

View a slideshow of Christiansborg Palace Pictures

Christiansborg Palace Map

Important Information:

Address: Christiansborg Slotplads, DK-1218 Copenhagen, Denmark

Opening hours: May 1 to Sep 30: 9:30am-3:30pm
Oct 1 to Apr 30: 9:30am-3:30pm; Closed: Mon, Wed, Sat

Entrance fee in DKK: Adult kr20.00, Child kr5.00

Guides: Guided tour included with admission.

Transit: Bus: 1, 2, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 28, 29, 31, 37, 41, 43.

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The palace occupies the site on which Bishop Absalon built the earliest fortifications of the city in 1167. Ruins of the bishop's castle, which was destroyed in the 14th C., as well as of the medieval fortress which passed to the crown under Erich von Pommern, were discovered when the present palace was being built and can now be seen by visitors.

The foundation stone of the first palace to be erected on the site of the original castle was laid by Christian VI in 1733, but the building was not completely finished and was subsequently destroyed by fire in 1794. Of that huge palace of four wings only the Riding School survives. A new palace was built in the first 20 years of the 19th C. to designs by the Classical master architect C. F. Hansen, but was used only rarely as a royal residence. In 1849 it became the home of the new Parliament. In 1884 this palace, too, was burned down. Among the sections which survived was the palace church, the dome of which was decorated with angels by Bertel Thorvaldsen. The "third" Palace of Christiansborg was erected between 1907 and 1928 to the design of Thorvald Jorgensen. The facade of the four-winged palace is of dressed Bornholm granite and its tower is 90m/295ft high.

Related Attractions

Equestrian Statues

On the square in front of Christianborg Palace in Copenhagen stands an equestrian statue of Frederik VII by H. V. Bissen. In 1927 an equestrian statue of Christian IX by Carl Nielsen was erected on the former riding arena.

Theater Museum

Within the Riding School complex of Copenhagen's Christiansborg Palace, where the royal horses are exercised every morning, stands the old Court Theater, built in 1767 and now the Theater Museum. The museum illustrates the history of Danish theater from the time of Ludvig Holberg up to the present day. On display are photographs, prints, theatrical costumes, programs, etc.

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