Denmark is the oldest continuous monarchy in Europe. As such, Denmark is full of regal architecture, historic buildings, and beautiful royal castles.
If time is of the essence and you want to choose among the best castles to visit, check out the characteristics of each of the best castles and select the one (or more) that you like best. If gardens are what you are looking for, plan a visit to the King’s Gardens at Rosenborg Castle.
Amalienborg Castle
Amalienborg in Copenhagen is the winter residence of the royal couple. This castle in the capital of Denmark is an important architectural undertaking in the classical Rococo architectural style. Amalienborg in Copenhagen is made up of four externally uniform, but internally quite different, palaces around a large courtyard.
In the large courtyard, visitors can see an equestrian statue of Frederik V, who was the founder of the Amalienborg Palace complex and Frederiksstad. Today, the public can visit two of Amalienborg’s palaces: the Palace of Christian VIII and the Palace of Christian VII. This is a great attraction worth visiting if you are in Copenhagen, and it is quick and easy to find.
If you plan to take a tour, this castle is part of the Copenhagen Grand Tour.
Kronborg Castle
Kronborg Castle (Danish: Kronborg Slot) is strategically located on a very narrow stretch of water between Denmark and Sweden, near Helsingor. Its location helped medieval kings regulate import and export and was a collection point for waterway taxes paid by passing ships.
The city of Helsingor is not far from Copenhagen, approximately 30 miles (49 kilometers), and can be found at the northernmost tip of the Danish island of Zealand. Kronborg Castle is said to have been used as the inspiration for Elsinore’s setting in Shakespeare’s “Hamlet.”
If you take a guided tour, this castle is included in the Hamlet Castle Tour from Copenhagen and the North Zealand Castles Tour.
Fredensborg Palace
Fredensborg Castle is an 18th century palace north of Copenhagen on Lake Esrum. The castle enjoys a special status among Danish palaces, as it is the residence most used by the royal couple for official state banquets, including the 2004 wedding banquet of Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary. The palace gardens are always open. Guided tours of the palace are generally offered in July, every 15 minutes in the afternoon.
This famous Danish castle is included in the Hamlet Castle Tour from Copenhagen and the North Zealand Castles Tour.
Christiansborg Palace
The Christiansborg Palace on Slotsholmen in Copenhagen houses the Danish Parliament, the Prime Minister’s Office and the Supreme Court. The royal reception rooms in the north wing of the palace, the palace church and most of the complex of the riding area are available to the royal family. As a result of two serious fires in 1794 and 1884, the palace complex bears witness to three eras of Danish architecture.
In the riding complex, you can visit the Theater Museum and the royal stables. Below Christiansborg, visitors can see the ruins of two older castles.
Christiansborg Castle is part of the Grand Tour of Copenhagen and the City Tour of Copenhagen.
