Certificate of Excellence
2014-2024
Frederiksborg Palace
Frederiksborg Palace did not play a big strategic role in Danish history but it is the most extravagant renaissance palace in all of Scandinavia. Located on a small island in a lake, the location is beautiful and you will be overwhelmed by all the gold and decorated rooms and paintings
History
The location came under the control of King Frederik II in 1560. At that time there was already a castle and the king named it Frederiksborg after himself. (‘Borg’ means castle in Danish).
The construction of the current palace started in 1599 and lasted for 22 years. At that time Christian IV was king. He tore down most of the old castle and built the current version as a summer residence. The buildings closest to town before the moat are from the former castle though.
The king liked to go hunting so he preserved a lot of forest around the castle. Even today the castle is, therefore, surrounded by a lot of forest.
The Palace Church
The most beautiful part of the palace is the old church. It is still in use and is one of the most beautiful protestant churches. It is a very popular place to get married.
You will see the coats-of-arms of recipients of the two highest orders of Denmark. (The order of the Elephant and of the Dannebrog). There are many well known names such as Nelson Mandela, Eisenhower and the British royals
The Garden
The garden at Frederiksborg Palace is from the Baroque period. You will have the greatest view of it from inside the palace. The garden was actually removed in the 18th century but rebuilt in 1993-1996. The garden could be rebuilt in its original appearance as original drawings were preserved.
Fire at Frederiksborg Palace
Many of the paintings in the palace are new. Most of them are from the late 19th century. That is because a big fire in 1859 destroyed the interior of the palace. The only part that was not destroyed was the church so everything you see in it is original.
How to get to Frederiksborg Palace
It is 35 kilometers from Copenhagen to Frederiksborg Palace. The easiest way to get there is to take a train from the central station in Copenhagen to the town of Hillerød and then walk to the palace. The train ride takes 42 minutes and the walk is another 20-25 minutes. (1.5 kilometers). The timetable for the trains can be found here.
Another way to get there is to join our tour the GRAND DAY TRIP AROUND COPENHAGEN. This tour includes a full visit to Frederiksborg Palace as well as the other major historical sites in the Copenhagen area and it is the only way to see all of them in one day.
