The first known Sorgenfri was built by the architect François Dieussart in 1705-06 for count Carl Ahlefeldt. The building consisted of a two-storey, three-winged baroque unit located north of Lyngby with an allé down to Kongevejen. It passed in to the hands of the royal family in 1730 and Crown Prince Frederik the fifth commissioned the royal builder Lauritz de Thurah to build a cavalry wing and stables down beside Kongevejen.
The new palace
When Frederik V became king, the country house was too small for him and it passed into the hands of his aunt, countess Sophie Caroline of East Friesland. In 1756-57, the countess had Lauritz de Thurah demolish the main building and build a new palace on top of the existing foundation, with a mansard and spires on the ridge turret - which is more or less the way the palace looks to this day.
In 1791-94, the Heir Presumptive Frederik expanded the estate and asked royal builder Peter Meyn to modernise the main building and refurbish the mansard in elegant, neo-classical style. The garden was also re-designed, this time as an English-style Romantic landscape garden.
Residence of the king
The Heir Presumptive's son, Christian VIII, and especially his wife Caroline Amalie, used Sorgenfri Palace a lot - in her case for 65 years right up until 1880. Their son, Frederik VII handed the palace over to the state, which placed it at the disposal of Crown Prince Christian X in 1898 after the architect Ferdínand Meldahl had added modern conveniences and a practical glassed-in veranda.
Sorgenfri was Christian X and queen Alexandrine's favourite summer residence, and both Frederik IX and Heir Presumptive Knud were born there. The crown prince and his wife lived in the palace until they died in 1976 and 1995 respectively.
Sorgenfri Palace is owned by the Danish state, run by the Agency for Palaces & Cultural Properties, and placed at the disposal of the royal family.
Last updated:: Tuesday, December 06, 2011
