Four special guided tours – World Capital of Architecture 2023

In 2023, you can take part in four special guided tours of Christian VII’s Palace and Christian VIII’s Palace, both part of the Amalienborg, and a guided walk through Copenhagen’s Frederiksstaden quarter. To celebrate Copenhagen’s designation as World Capital of Architecture 2023, the Royal Danish Collection offers special tours of Frederiksstaden and two of the four palaces that make up the Amalienborg complex. Among the highlights is a visit to Christian VII’s Palace, The Queen’s representative palace, which is not normally open to the public.

The four guided tours:
Christian VII’s Palace – The Queen’s representative palace
The royal studies at Christian VIII’s Palace
The piano nobile at Christian VIII’s Palace
Frederiksstaden

Christian VII’s Palace – the interiors of power
For a limited period this year, we offer guided tours of Christian VII’s Palace, which is not normally open to the public. The Palace is closed for the summer, but we have more guided tours in september.

Christian VII’s Palace is The Queen’s representative palace and will be familiar to many Danes from live TV transmissions of the traditional New Year’s Banquet, which is held every year on 1 January at Christian VII’s Palace.

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The royal studies at Christian VIII’s Palace
This tour takes you inside the royal studies at the Amalienborg Museum at Christian VIII’s Palace where you can get a first-hand impression of the lives of some of the members of the House of Glücksborg and learn more about the individuals behind the Danish monarchy. Through a look at the furnishings and decor of the rooms, we take an in-depth look at the history behind the House of Glücksborg on the Danish throne and the development and role of the Danish monarchy over the past 150 years.

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The Piano nobile – from noble to royal home at Christian VIII’s Palace
The so-called piano nobile is the second storey of the Amalienborg Museum at Christian VIII’s Palace. On this tour, you can see how the first royal occupants furnished and decorated the palace.

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Guided walk in Frederiksstaden
Frederiksstaden is the quarter contained within the boundaries of Bredgade, Sankt Annæ Plads, Toldbodgade and Esplanaden. On this tour, you are introduced to the many beautiful buildings and the district’s unique architecture and history.

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Overview of Amalienborg and 18th-century rococo architecture
Amalienborg Palace is one of the finest examples of 18th-century rococo architecture in Denmark, and the surrounding Frederiksstaden quarter is known for its unique history and architecture.

Frederiksstaden was established in 1748 to celebrate the 300th anniversary of the reign of the House of Oldenborg. It is named after the then king, Frederik V, who is also commemorated with an equestrian statue in the absolute centre of the new district: Amalienborg Palace Square.

Frederiksstaden was designed to reflect and underscore the absolute monarchy. The King was placed in the centre, represented by the equestrian statue. From here, The King gazes at the beautiful Frederik’s Church – also known as the Marble Church – as an illustration of the divine aspect of royal power. Around the statue of the King , four magnificent and (almost) identical palaces were constructed for four prominent noble families. In the rest of the area, other nobles as well as leading merchants and shipowners built their own elegant mansions, albeit on a much smaller scale.

Over the years, large warehouses for the trading company were built along the harbour front, and thus, the district also reflects the prominent role of trade and shipping at the time. The prevailing architectural styles was rococo, followed later by neoclassicism. These styles continue to dominate the district, which despite several large fires is quite well preserved. Our walking tours thus offer an excellent opportunity for a closer look at 18th-century architecture and power structures.