Today, visitors can tour Aalborghus Castle and, perhaps most interestingly, its dungeons.
Aalborghus Castle was a half-timbered castle built on the order of Lutheran King Christian III from 1539 to 1555, initially as fortification. The site had originally housed a building just south of Christian’s castle, mentioned in Aalborghus documentation dating to 1340. Owned by Margrethe I, it was also the death place of King Hans in 1513, the result of a riding accident.
Christian’s father, King Frederik I had intended to destroy the original building, moving to a new site to convert Allborg’s Franciscan monastery into a castle. However, he left the decision to Christian, who demolished the old building in 1539 and had royal architect Morten Bussert build a new fortified castle near Limfjord. The fortress soon became the seat of the King’s provincial governors in Northern Jutland, and was used later by the State County for taxes under the introduction of absolutism.
A barrier wall was constructed alongside the fjord, and later in 1633, King Christian IV built a north wing facing the port. This extension was used as a granary, storing food supplies including grain. A western wing built in similar style was used to store meats and fish.
Between 1954 and 1964, the old granaries had a full renovation by the Royal Inspector of Listed Buildings, who converted them into council offices.
Today, the castle is set within its lush green surroundings, a short wander from the harbour front. The east wing is all that is left of the original castle, and unfortunately the building’s administrative function prevents inside visits.
However, you can take a walk through the castle’s beautiful park, and on certain dates the castle’s dungeon and underground passage is open to the public, which displays a printed history of the site. Visitors can also get an appreciation for the castle’s original impressive atmosphere from the courtyard, all year round.
If travelling by public transport, Aalborghus Castle is just a 12 minute walk from Aalborg Station, on the trainlines 75, 76, IC, ICL and RE. There is a car park located a 350m walk away, heading south-east on Slotspladsen.
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Made up of four externally similar buildings built around a central courtyard, Amalienborg Slot was completed in 1760. The first residents of the palace were not royals, but rather wealthy families. However, in 1749, Amalienborg Slot became a palace after Christiansborg Slot was destroyed in a fire and the royal family bought it from the families living there. An architect was brought in to add colonnades between some of the palaces.
The four buildings are divided into Christian IX’s Palace, Christian VII’s Palace, Christian VIII’s Palace (now the Amalienborg Museum) and Frederik VIII’s Palace. The palaces still remain very much in use, and remains the home of the Danish Royal Family. It’s guarded accordingly by the Royal Life Guards and a changing of the guard ceremony happens daily at noon.
Visitors can tour parts of Amalienborg Slot, viewing royal collections and objects as well as enjoying the palace’s Rococo architecture, including the ornate Knight’s Chamber. The palace is open daily between June and September and irregularly the rest of the year – it’s best to check precise hours before going.
The entrance hall of the palace is also fascinating, having been restored to its eighteenth century state. In the central courtyard, the sculpture of Frederik V is understood to have been as expensive to create as Amalienborg Slot itself.
Amalienborg Slot is in the centre of Copenhagen, right by the harbour. The nearest metro station is Marmorkirken, a 4 minute walk away and next to Frederikskirke (the Marble Church). Otherwise, like everywhere in Copenhagen, bike or foot is the best bet on getting here swiftly and easily. Nyhaven and Charlottenborg are a 5 minute walk away.
]]>In the latter half of the eighteenth century, plots at Assistens Kirkegard became fashionable, and today it houses the burial places of many of Denmark’s most prominent figures, including Hans Christian Andersen and Soren Kierkegaard. Assistens Kirkegard is also a park, containing many leisure facilities.
Assistens Kirkegard is probably Denmark’s most famous graveyard. An outbreak of plague in 1711 killed around 23,000 citizens and put existing burial grounds under pressure. This led to the establishment of five new cemeteries. From the 1750s, the situation deteriorated further, and Assistens Kirkegard was built from 1757 and inaugurated in 1760.
Originally, the graveyard was a site for paupers, but in 1785, after First Secretary of the War Chancellery Johan Samuel Augustin made requests to be interred there, it became a fashionable burial spot. It then became a popular excursion location – so popular, in fact, that legislation had to be passed which prohibited the consumption of food and drink, and forbade the on-site gravediggers from selling it.
Today, Assistens Kirkegard is still a graveyard, but is also a popular tourist attraction owing to the many famous people buried there. It is also the most important green space in the inner part of the Nørrebro district.
The graveyard is divided into sections. Section A is the oldest, and features the graves of Søren Kierkegaard and the painter Christen Købke among others. Section D is dedicated to religious minorities, containing Roman Catholic and Reformed graves as well as Russian graves. Section E is the section which originally served under Church of Our Lady.
In 2003 an old horse stable in a corner of the cemetery was converted into a small museum dedicated to writer and artist Herman Stilling, who was native to the Nørrebro area and is mainly known for his paintings of trolls. Aside from the permanent exhibition, the museum also contains an exhibition space for visiting exhibitions, a picture workshop for children and young people, and a cafe.
The cemetery was protected in 2014, and in 2019, started working on a development plan to safeguard its future.
From the centre of Copenhagen, Assistens Kirkegard is reachable in around 7 minutes via Åboulevard. It’s also reachable by foot in around 25 minutes via the same road.
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Still a working parish today, Church of Our Saviour is home to a carillon, which chimes on Saturdays at 4pm.
The Church of Our Saviour is one of Denmark’s most famous churches.
When the former King of Denmark and Norway planned Christianshavn in 1617, it was intended to be an independent merchant’s town, and therefore needed a church. A temporary church was inaugurated in 1639, but construction of the current church did not begin until 1682.
The church was inaugurated in 1695, though had a temporary altar and a tower with no spire. The permanent altar was installed in 1732, and plans for the spire began in 1747 under the reign of Frederik V. After a number of obstacles, the spire was finished three years later, and the King climbed the tower at a ceremony in 1752.
The church is built in a Dutch baroque style and its basic layout is made of a Greek cross. The walls are made of red and yellow tiles in a random pattern.
The altarpiece, called ‘Tessin’s Altarpiece’, is considered to be a masterpiece. It depicts a scene with Jesus and two angels in the Garden of Gethsemane. The enormous organ with Christian V’s gilded monogram was built from 1698-1700 and is supported by two elephant sculptures. Its more than 4000 pipes and original cymbelstern produce the same noise that would have been heard 300 years ago.
The famous black and gold tower and spire is 90m tall with an external staircase turning four times counterclockwise around it.
The church is hugely popular with tourists and locals alike. Each year, more than 60,000 people climb the many flights of stairs and 90m above street level to enjoy panoramic views from the top of the church.
The church arranges 15 to 20 concerts every year together with musical church services on Sundays.
From the centre of Copenhagen, the church is reachable in 25 minutes by foot, via Vester Voldgade. By car, it’s a 7 minute drive, via H. C. Andersen’s Boulevard, and Amager Boul. The city is also very well-connected by bus.
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The oldest parts of the castle date back to the 16th century – Frederiksborg was the first Danish castle to have been built inland, and one of the first royal castles to have been built purely for pleasure and recreation rather than defence.
Much of the castle was rebuilt in the 17th century for King Christian IV in a Renaissance style, making Frederiksborg the largest Renaissance building in Scandinavia. The highlight of the remaining 17th century parts is the magnificent marble Slotskirken, where monarchs were crowned between 1671 and 1840.
In 1859, a major fire tore through Frederiksborg whilst King Frederick VII was in residence – it being the depths of winter, the lake was frozen and so little water was nearby with which to douse the flames. Serious damage was done, but remnants of the interior and over 300 paintings were saved. Restoration was funded by both king and state, as well as J. C. Jacobsen of Carlsberg Brewery.
Following these works, the castle was turned into Denmark’s National History Museum, which is visible today on the 1st and 2nd floors of the castle.
Frederiksborg is a lot to take in in one session – it’s expansive and intricate and you’re best off simply seeing what interests you and what you can manage – expect your visit to take at least half a day if you’re planning to wander the gardens too.
Slotshaven is a formal baroque garden just north of the castle, Indelukket is an 18th/19th century Romantic garden and landscape and Lille Dyrehave is a wood planted in the early 19th century for oak, used primarily in boat building in order to rebuild the Danish navy. They make a very pleasant afternoon stroll.
\The castle is open year round, although with much shorter hours between November and March. Be sure to pick up an audio guide (included in the ticket price) when you arrive.
Frederiksborg is about 40 minutes north of Copenhagen – it’s an easy drive via Route 16, or via public transport, you can hop on train A from Copenhagen Central Station to Hillerød: from there it’s only a 15 minute walk to the castle.
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