Amalienborg Palace

Amalienborg

The Danish royal family's winter palace: four Rococo palaces around an octagonal square, with the noon changing of the Royal Guard and the opera house across the water forming a classic axis.

Amalienborg consists of four nearly identical Rococo palaces arranged around an octagonal square. Built in the 1750s, they were originally the residences of four noble families. After Christiansborg Palace burned in 1794, they became the royal residence, and today they remain the winter residence of King Frederik X of Denmark. The square's center holds an equestrian bronze statue of Frederik V. To the west it faces Frederik's Church (the Marble Church, with the largest dome in Northern Europe; entry is free and the dome can be climbed in summer). To the east, through Amalienborg Garden, it faces the Copenhagen Opera House across the harbor, forming a perfect Baroque axis. Every day at 11:30, the Royal Guard sets out from Rosenborg Palace and marches through the city center to here. At 12:00 the changing of the guard takes place on the square, and the guards in bearskin hats are the most popular sight. When the king is in residence (signaled by the flag on the palace roof), a military band plays throughout. Christian VIII's Palace, one of the four, is open as the Amalienborg Museum, showing the studies and salons of kings from 1863 to 1947 as they originally were. Adult admission is about DKK 125; the Copenhagen Card includes it, and there is a combined ticket with Rosenborg. The square itself is free to enter. It is an open pedestrian area, but watch out for local cyclists. Getting there: 3 minutes on foot from Marmorkirken station on the M4 line, or 8 minutes on foot from Nyhavn. Notes: when the king is in residence, guards patrol in front of the palace gates, so do not cross the barrier. Arrive 15 minutes before the changing of the guard to secure a good spot.

Opening hours

Square open all day; museum 10:00–16:00 (until 17:00 in summer; closed Mondays in winter)

Royal palace · Changing of the guard · Rococo · Royal

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