The enormous and utterly fascinating Rosenborg Castle is situated in the heart of the thriving city of Copenhagen in Denmark and boasts some of the most dazzling architectural feats in the country.
Built in the striking and dramatic Dutch Renaissance style, Rosenborg Castle is one of the highlights of Copenhagen and attracts an enormous number of visitors each and every year.
Here is the ultimate guide on the history of Rosenborg Castle, the top things to see and do, as well as practical information regarding travelling there:
A Guide to Visiting Rosenborg Castle
History of the Rosenborg Castle
Originally constructed at the turn of the 17th century by one of the most renowned and famous Scandinavian Kings, Christian IV, Rosenborg Castle is one of the most important and culturally symbolic historic castles in Denmark.
Used primarily by the Danish regents as a royal residence until approximately the year 1710, Rosenborg Castle was lavishly decorated and furnished, and had equally grand interiors as it did exteriors.
However, after the reign of Frederik IV, the castle was actually only used as a royal residence on two occasions, both of which happened to be during emergencies.
One of which was after nearby Christiansburg Palace burned down in the yar 1794, and the other was during the British attack on Copenhagen in 1801.
Rosenborg Castle is home to so many original rooms and features, including the Long Hall, which was completed in the year 1624; it was originally meant to function as a ballroom, but by 1700, it was being used primarily as a Royal Reception Room for grand banquets with an enormous number of guests attending.
The castle is also home to a string of different tapestries that were added by Christian V; many of which are in the hall, and depict the King’s victories in the Scanian War, which took place between 1675 and 1679.
Rosenborg Castle and its surrounding gardens have so many layers of fascinating history that are just waiting to be explored and discovered; you could truly spend days soaking it all up.
Things to do in Rosenborg Castle
Rosenborg Castle is open to the general public, and there are so many wonderful things to explore and discover:
Rosenborg Collections
The castle houses a fantastic museum that exhibits the Royal Collections, which is an enormous selection of artefacts that span the entire period of royal Danish culture.
From the late 16th century of Christian IV, all the way up to the 19th century, there are so many articles to explore, many of which belonged to noble individuals, and aristocrats.
Treasury
One of the highlights of Rosenborg Castle, and an absolute must-see for history lovers, is the display of the Crown Jewels and the Danish Crown Regalia, which are both securely kept in the treasury of the Castle.
In addition, A Coronation Carpet is also held there, which is an enormous and intricately designed Persian carpet. Moreover, it is also well worth seeing the Throne Chair of Denmark, which is a hugely symbolic and important artefact.
Gardens
Finally, it is definitely worth checking out the ‘Kongens Have’, or ‘The King’s Garden’. These gardens are the oldest royal garden in the country and are designed in the Renaissance style.
They attract an enormous number of visitors every year, and they are utterly incredible.
How to get to Rosenborg Castle
Rosenborg Castle is incredibly easy to get to, as it is situated right in the heart of Copenhagen’s city centre. There are several ways to travel to it, so here is everything that you need to know:
From the Airport
If you are flying to Copenhagen from another destination, there are so many different ways to get to Rosenborg Castle straight from the Airport, most of which are incredibly efficient, and reasonably priced.
- Subway – Once you arrive at the Airport, you will be able to get a subway to Rosenborg Castle Gardens. From Lufthaven St, you can jump on the M2 subway to Norreport St. These trains run every 10 minutes and take just 15 minutes; they are also very cheap, costing around 4 to 5 Euro per trip. Once you arrive at Norreport St, you will have to walk for around 7 minutes before arriving at Rosenborg Castle.
- Train – Another option you can take from the Airport is the train. Once you land, you can hop on the Oresundstag or the 029, which runs every 15 minutes. The train journey takes you to Norreport, and takes around 23 minutes; once you arrive, you will need to walk for around 9 minutes before arriving at Rosenborg Castle Gardens. This is also a cheap option, costing between 6 and 9 Euro.
- Bus – For a really low-cost mode of transport, the bus is a fantastic option. From Kobenhavns Lufthavn, you will need to take the 5C bus, which runs every minute, and costs between 3 and 4 Euro. It takes 41 minutes to get to Norreport St, where you will then need to walk for around 7 minutes before arriving at Rosenborg Castle Gardens.
- Taxi – Another option, which is more expensive but quicker and more direct, is a taxi. This takes just 10 minutes in total, and takes you directly to Rosenborg Castle Gardens. You can expect to pay between 20 and 25 Euro.
- Drive – Similarly, you may wish to hire a rental car for the duration of your stay in Copenhagen. The city does have lots of public transport options, but if you do choose to, this is also a 10-minute drive to Rosenborg Castle Gardens.
Rosenborg Castle Opening Hours and Tickets
The castle is open daily apart from Mondays. For more information check here.
There is a combined ticket Rosenborg & Amalienborg that costs 170kr. The ticket price for adults is 120 kr, Children (0-17 years) have free admission, Students (with valid ID) 85kr.
Rosenborg Castle is one of the highlights of Copenhagen, and Denmark as a whole – there is simply so much history to uncover, and there are so many thrilling things to learn and explore.