Rosenborg Castle

Christian IV's pleasure palace

Rosenborg was built in the early 17th century by King Christian IV as a summer and pleasure palace. What began as a modest garden house grew by 1624 into today's castle in the Dutch Renaissance style, the architects behind the expansion were Bertel Lange and Hans van Steenwinckel the Younger. Christian IV, one of Denmark's most formative kings, spent much of his time here and died in 1648 in one of its rooms. The castle's towers and turrets still give it a fairy-tale look. It sits in the elegant part of Indre By (the city centre), only about 200 metres from Nørreport station.

The Crown Jewels in the treasury

The highlight lies underground: the treasury holds the Danish Crown Jewels and regalia, including the crown of Christian IV. Above it, lavishly furnished halls unfold across three floors, led by the Knights' Hall with the coronation thrones and three life-size silver lions. Unlike the still-inhabited Amalienborg Palace, Rosenborg is entirely open as a museum, a densely packed treasure chest of some 400 years of royal history.

Photography is permitted inside the castle and the treasury, but handheld only, tripods and monopods are not allowed.

Set in Kongens Have

Rosenborg stands in Kongens Have (King's Garden), Copenhagen's oldest park. On fine days the lawns fill with picnic blankets, and in summer the Royal Life Guard marches from the nearby barracks across town for the daily changing of the guard at Amalienborg. The park is free to enter but not open around the clock, roughly 7:00 to 22:00 in summer, considerably shorter in winter. Across the road, the Botanical Garden invites a further stroll.

Visiting & practical tips

Allow 1.5 to 2 hours for the visit. The most pleasant time is mid-morning at opening, leaving time afterwards for a walk in the garden.

• Tickets are valid for a fixed 10-minute time slot and often sell out in high season - booking online in advance saves 10 DKK per ticket and cuts the wait.
• Adults pay 140 DKK online or 150 DKK at the box office, students 100 DKK, under-18s go free (ticket still required).
• The Slotspas combined ticket (345 DKK) is valid for 3 days at Rosenborg, Amalienborg and Christiansborg.
• Admission is included with the Copenhagen Card: scan the card at the ticket office, then collect your timed ticket.
• On site there's a cloakroom with lockers and an accessible toilet, plus the Slotsbutik (castle shop) selling drinks. There's no café. The audio guide isn't included with the standard ticket and is offered separately.

Getting there & combining visits

The entrance and address is Øster Voldgade 4A. The nearest station is Nørreport, about 200 metres away and a hub for the metro, S-train, regional trains and buses. The castle has no dedicated parking.

A visit pairs well with the Amalienborg royal residence and Christiansborg Palace, the Slotspas covers all three. For other ways to save on admission, see the guide to the Copenhagen Card; Rosenborg is also one of the city's must-see attractions.