The current Christiansborg Palace is just the last in a number of buildings which have been situated at Slotsholmen in Copenhagen for more than 800 years. Through the centuries, one building has been replaced by the next because of wars, modernisation urges and fires.
Power base of the kingdom
The Supreme Court has had its premises at the various castles since its foundation in 1661. The Rigsdag (now the Folketing) moved into Christiansborg after democracy was introduced in 1849. Finally parts of the Prime Minister’s Office moved to Christiansborg in 1968 while the rest followed in 1980.
The palaces served as the main residence of the royal power from the fifteenth century and up until 1794 where the Royal Family moved its residence to Amalienborg. To this very day, the Royal Family uses large parts of Christiansborg; the Royal Reception Rooms, Christiansborg Palace Chapel and the Riding Ground Complex, which e.g. houses the Royal Mews.
Since the fifteenth century, the various castles and palaces have been the power centre of the kingdom, regardless of whether this power has been executed by elected kings, hereditary kings or elected politicians.
Bishop Absalon’s castle and Copenhagen Castle
On top of the ruins of the old castle a new building was quickly erected however. It was named Copenhagen Castle. Copenhagen Castle stood for several hundred years and was rebuilt many times in several different styles. The most famous part of Copenhagen Castle was the "Blue Tower" prison where Christian IV’s daughter, Leonora Christina, was imprisoned for 22 years. The ruins of Absalon’s castle and Copenhagen Castle still exist and may be visited in the roofed excavations below the present castle. Read more about the ruins here.
In 1167 Bishop Absalon built a castle on a small islet in the waters off the coast of the small town of Havn. The castle stood for 200 years before it was conquered and demolished by the Hanseatic League in 1369.
The first Christiansborg
The palace complex was by and large finished in 1745. Already in 1794, however, a fire ruined the palace and the chapel. Only the Riding Ground Complex was saved. Today this is the only preserved part of the building from the first lavish palace. In 1766 a Court Theatre was established at the Riding Ground Complex’s buildings. Today it accommodates The Theatre Museum.
During the 1720s, King Frederik IV rebuilt the aging castle thoroughly. Already in 1731, however, his son, King Christian VI, demolished Copenhagen Castle. Instead he let his master builder Elias David Häusser erect the first Christiansborg Palace with assistance from the two talented architects Nicolai Eigtved and Lauritz de Thurah. The result was a magnificent baroque palace including a riding ground complex and a palace chapel.
The second Christiansborg
In 1884 the second Christiansborg was also destroyed in a fire. This time, besides the Riding Ground Complex, the C.F. Hansen palace chapel and the adjoining buildings to the chapel, the ministerial buildings at Slotsholmsgade and the Kunstkammer building were also successfully saved.
Besides the royal power, the second Christiansborg housed many other institutions, including the Supreme Court, the Royal Art Collection and Oldsagssamlingen. In connection with the introduction of democracy in 1849, the palace was also made available to the new Rigsdag.
While the Royal Family temporarily resided at Amalienborg, the architect C.F. Hansen began in 1803 to build the second Christiansborg in the Neo-classical style of the time. When the palace was completed in 1828, King Frederik VI had decided against living in the palace, but used it only for representation purposes. The only monarch, who has lived at the palace, is King Frederik VII, who resided there between 1852-63.
The third Christiansborg
After almost 20 years of debate and several architectural competitions, the architect Thorvald Jørgensen was selected to conduct the construction of the third Christiansborg. The foundation stone was laid in 1907. Hereafter the palace was taken into use by stages, but the opening of the Royal Reception Rooms on 12 January 1928 was considered the palace’s official completion. The Rigsdag premises, however, were taken into use already in 1918. Read more about the third and present Christiansborg Palace here.
Last updated:: Thursday, October 22, 2009
