Amalienborg Palace
Amalienborg is the residence of the Danish royal family and also serves as the royal palace. In 1794, during the reign of Christian VII, a fire broke out at Christiansborg Palace, forcing the royal family to take refuge at Amalienborg. Subsequently, King Frederick V decided to rebuild it in the Rococo style, transforming Amalienborg from four noble mansions into a magnificent palace. To commemorate this king, an equestrian statue of Frederick V was erected in the center of the octagonal square of the palace.
These four historic buildings are: the Christian VII's Palace, built in 1754, now used as the royal reception hall; the Christian VIII's Palace; the Christian IX's Palace, completed in 1758; and the Frederick VIII's Palace, where Queen Ingrid resided.
The Christian VIII's Palace was officially opened to the public in 1994, showcasing items used by the royal family before 1947. When the Danish Queen is in residence, the national flag is raised on the roof, indicating her presence in the palace. You might even catch her discreetly observing the crowd in the square with a telescope.
The Royal Guard departs from the palace at 11:30 AM, marches through the old town, and returns to the palace for the changing of the guard ceremony in the square at noon. This unique event is very distinctive, so be sure not to miss it.
Rosenborg Castle
Rosenborg Castle, also known as the Rose Palace, is one of Copenhagen's iconic buildings. It was specially built in 1634 as a summer residence for King Christian IV. The palace features Dutch Renaissance style design, with bronze eaves and red brick walls as its main characteristics. Before King Frederick IV completed Frederiksborg Castle, three generations of kings resided here.
Since 1883, Rosenborg Castle has become the treasury of successive kings, showcasing many ornaments, luxurious costumes, paintings, and ceramics. Here, you can admire the magnificent marble ceilings, invaluable Dutch tapestries, silver lion statues, and precious pure gold artifacts. Additionally, the Danish crown is also preserved in the palace's basement.
Tivoli Gardens
Tivoli Gardens is a beautifully crafted urban amusement park, featuring Moorish domes and arched bridges, which are especially stunning at night. Its construction began in 1843, overseen by Georg Carstensen, a minister of Christian VIII. It is said that Carstensen, after inspecting amusement parks across Europe, conceived the idea of building a park that would blend various artistic styles.
Tivoli Gardens covers an area of about 85,000 square meters and is located next to the central station. In addition to basic attractions like roller coasters and carousels, it also has a fairy tale theater, a concert hall, and an open-air stage. Moreover, the park features over 30 restaurants and hosts fireworks displays every Wednesday and Saturday at 11:45 PM.
Tivoli Gardens adds a rich fairy tale atmosphere to Copenhagen. In this enchanting place, we hope you find joy.
Christiansborg Palace
The predecessor of Christiansborg Palace was built in the late 11th century and was originally the building of Bishop Absalon. However, King Christian VI, in pursuit of luxury and pleasure, decided to demolish the old royal palace and build a new, luxurious, comfortable, and magnificent palace on the same site, which is now Christiansborg Palace.
Today, this palace is no longer just the residence of the king but has become the seat of the Danish Parliament, also known as the Copenhagen Parliament Building. It houses the Danish courts, the Danish Prime Minister's Office, and the Danish Parliament Building. Additionally, the reception rooms of the Danish royal family are also located here.
To some extent, this palace symbolizes the supreme power of Denmark, encompassing the three major state organs of administration, judiciary, and legislature. It is one of the few buildings in the world that simultaneously houses these three important institutions.
Despite having experienced two major fires and undergoing continuous reconstruction and renovation, Christiansborg Palace has been preserved to this day. Therefore, you will find its architectural style to be a mix. The main building, rebuilt in 1928, adopts the Neo-Baroque style, while the church part from 1826 retains the Neoclassical style. The square in front of the palace, built around 1738, presents a strong Baroque flavor.
Frederik's Church
Frederik's Church is one of the larger domed churches in Denmark. Due to the extensive use of marble from Denmark and Norway, locals affectionately call it the 'Marble Church.'
The Marble Church is located opposite the Royal Palace Square in Copenhagen, facing Amalienborg Palace. Upon entering the church, you will be awestruck by its massive internal dome, which has a diameter of 30 meters and features paintings of the 12 apostles of Jesus. The interior decorations and paintings are solemn and dignified, making you feel small and instinctively hold your breath as you quietly appreciate and understand the eternal, solemn, and sacred beauty of religion.
Today, the church is dedicated to becoming a modern urban church and is open to the public daily. Additionally, it is an ideal venue for many newlyweds in Copenhagen to hold their weddings.
Gefion Fountain
In Langelinie Park in Copenhagen, besides the famous Little Mermaid statue, there is also the world-renowned 'Gefion Fountain,' which carries the long history of Norse mythology.
The Gefion Fountain is a bronze sculpture group consisting of the goddess Gefion, four oxen, and a plow. Gefion is an important figure in Norse mythology, and this statue group tells the story of the goddess and the island of Zealand, where Copenhagen is located: It is said that the goddess was commanded to plow all the land in one day. To accomplish this task, she turned her four sons into four oxen and ultimately plowed all the land on Zealand in one day, making the island her domain.
Freetown Christiania
This freetown is located in the center of Copenhagen and is a unique area that claims to be an autonomous district, advocating for an anarchist commune. This place has a lot of character. The buildings within the freetown are old and dilapidated, with distinctive graffiti decorations that are somewhat out of sync with the overall style of Copenhagen. However, it is precisely this uniqueness that attracts many visitors.
Copenhagen Canal Tour
The full name of the Copenhagen Canal is the Copenhagen New Harbor Canal, an artificial canal built between 1669 and 1673. This canal directly brings seawater to the King's New Square. To this day, you can still see some houses built at that time on both sides of the canal, although the banks have now been converted into pedestrian streets with many pleasant restaurants.
You can choose to sit in the lower hall of the boat or walk on the deck, cruising while enjoying the city's beautiful scenery. The canal winds through Copenhagen, offering different waterfront views at every turn.
The Little Mermaid Statue
The Little Mermaid statue is located in Langelinie Park in the northeastern part of central Copenhagen, Denmark. It was created based on Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tale 'The Little Mermaid'. This bronze statue was built in 1913 and has stood in Langelinie Park for over a century, becoming a world-renowned iconic statue that attracts countless tourists.
The Little Mermaid statue is only 1.5 meters tall, equivalent to the height of a child in their early teens. From a distance, this mermaid with a human body and fish tail sits on a large rock, appearing serene and elegant, as if at ease. However, upon closer inspection, you will find that the mermaid is a girl with a sorrowful expression, which is thought-provoking.
This beautiful statue has been vandalized multiple times, with its head being cut off. Therefore, the head of the Little Mermaid you see now is a later restoration, not the original. To protect the statue from excessive damage by tourists, the local government moved the Little Mermaid statue to the depths of the sea in March 2006. Nowadays, in Langelinie Park, visitors can only view the Little Mermaid statue in the sea from outside the fence and take photos with it from there. Please note that there are many visitors outside the fence, so be sure to pay attention to safety when taking photos.
Christiansborg Palace
The palace is located on Castle Island (Slotsholmen) and serves as the seat of the Danish Parliament, the Supreme Court, and the Prime Minister's Office. Part of the palace is also used for royal family activities. Places open for visitors include the Royal Reception Rooms, the Ruins, the Royal Stables, the Palace Chapel, and the Theatre Museum. Additionally, visitors can climb the palace tower for free, while tours of the Danish Parliament require prior booking.
