Amalienborg Palace (Amalienborg) is the winter home of the Danish royal family, and is located in Copenhagen, Denmark. It consists of four identical classifying palace façades with rococo interiors around an octagonal courtyard (Amalienborg Slotsplads); in the centre of the square is a monumental equestrian statue of Amalienborg's founder, King Frederick V.
Amalienborg was originally built for four noble families; however, when Christiansborg Palace burnt down on 26 February 1794, the royal family bought the palaces and moved in. Over the years various kings and their families have resided in the four different palaces. The Frederiksstaden district was built on the former grounds of two other palaces.
The first palace was called Sophie Amalienborg. It was built by Queen Sophie Amalie, consort to Frederick III on part of the land which King Christian IV had acquired outside of Copenhagen's old walled city, now known as the Indre By district, in the early 17th century.
On 15 April 1689 King Christian V, Sophie Amalie’s son, celebrated his forty-fourth birthday at the palace with the presentation of a German opera, perhaps the first opera presentation in Denmark, in a specially built, temporary theatre. During the second performance a stage decoration caught fire, causing the theatre and the palace to burn to the ground, and about 180 people to lose their lives. The King planned to rebuild the palace.
The second Amalienborg was built by Frederick IV at the beginning of his reign. The second Amalienborg consisted of a summerhouse, a central pavilion with orangeries, and arcades on both side of the pavilion. On one side of the buildings was a French-style garden, and on the other side were military drill grounds.
Amalienborg is the centrepiece of Frederiksstaden, a district that was built by King Frederick V to commemorate in 1748 the tercentenary of the Oldenburg family's ascent to the throne of Denmark, and in 1749 the tercentenary of the coronation of Christian I of Denmark. This development is generally thought to have been the brainchild of Danish Ambassador Plenipotentiary in Paris, Johann Hartwig Ernst Bernstorff. Heading the project was Lord High Steward Adam Gottlob Moltke, one of the most powerful and influential men in the land, with Nicolai Eigtved as royal architect and supervisor.
The project consisted of four identical mansions, built to house four distinguished families of nobility from the royal circles, placed around an octagonal square. When the Royal Family found itself homeless after the Christiansborg Palace fire of 1794, the palaces were empty for long periods throughout the year.
According to Eigtved’s master plans for Frederikstad and the Amalienborg Palaces, the four palaces surrounding the plaza were conceived of as town mansions for the families of chosen nobility. They were identical from the outside, but different on the inside. The palaces were completed in 1760.
Amalienborg is guarded day and night by Royal Life Guards (Den Kongelige Livgarde). Their full dress uniform is fairly similar to that of the Foot Guards regiments of the British Army: a scarlet tunic; blue trousers; and a navy bearskin cap. The guard march from Rosenborg Castle at 11.30 am daily through the streets of Copenhagen, and execute the changing of the guard in front of Amalienborg Palace at noon. In addition, post replacement is conducted every two hours.
When the Queen is in residence the The King's Guard (Kongevagt) also march alongside the changing the guard at noon, accompanied by a band that plays traditional military marches. The Guard Lieutenant (Løjtnantsvagt) is always alerted when Prince Henrik or another member of the royal family are reigning in absence of the Queen.
Amaliehaven ( English: The Amalie Garden ) is located between the waterfront and Amalienborg Palace. Established in 1983, it was a gift from the A.P. Møller and Chastine McKinney Møller Foundation to the citizens of Copenhagen. It features marble sculptures and a central fountain. It is owned jointly by the Danish state and the municipality of Copenhagen, and maintained by the Palaces and Properties Agency.
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|Geographical coordinates||55.6840280, 12.5933330|
|Address||1257 Copenhagen, Amelienborg Slotsplads|
|Construction dates||1750 - 1760|
|More information||official website|