About the Christiansborg
Christiansborg Palace is located on Slotsholmen in Copenhagen, which has an 800-year-long history as Denmark’s centre of power. The present palace was completed in 1928, but there have been several incarnations of castles and palaces in this location. The Queen, the Danish parliament and the office of the Danish prime minister all operate from within the confines of the palace.
There are several areas of the Christiansborg you can visit. I am a big fan of the Danish political drama ‘Borgen’ so I was very excited to be visiting the place that had featured so prominently in the show.
The State Rooms
We first started in the State Rooms that are used by the Queen for receiving guests. The rooms include the Throne Room, a room of marble pilasters and green, silk wall coverings where guests are greeted.
Then there is the Great Hall which provides the magnificent setting for the Queen’s gala dinners when state visits take place and evening events are held. The 40-metre-long, 14-metre wide and 10-metre-high hall is the largest room in the palace. The hall can accommodate up to 400 guests for banquets. The Great Hall is decorated with 17 colourful tapestries. 1,100 years of Danish history from the Viking Age to the year 2000 have been woven onto these 17 tapestries. The tapestries teem with the figures of kings, queens, heads of state and other prominent figures that have shaped the history of Denmark and the rest of the world. They were incredible, we could have spent the whole day just looking at these tapestries.
Smaller gatherings take place in the Dining Room, which has a magnificent table that can fit 52 diners.
Another favourite of ours was the Queen’s Library. The book collection here extends over three kilometres of shelves in total, it is only 10 per cent of Her Majesty the Queen’s book collection that is placed at Christiansborg Palace. The rest of the books are placed at Amalienborg Palace.
The Basement exhibition
From the State Rooms, we descended into the basement of the Palace. This version of the Christiansborg is the third iteration. Two whole castles have gone up in flames, and with them, a lot of history has gone up in smoke. The current Christiansborg dates from 1928. It was built and furnished so that both the Royal Palace, the Rigsdagen and the Landstinget could be under the same roof. However, Christian 10 turned down the new royal residence when the castle was completed, and ever since, Christiansborg has exclusively been the workplace of the Royal House, the State Ministry and the Folketing.
The castle was named after the king who demolished Copenhagen Castle and built the first Christiansborg in 1740, namely Christian 6. Virtually all of the castle’s glory burned down 50 years later in 1794. Only the riding track facility survived, and it is still home to the royal horses. In 1884, the castle burned for the second time. The only thing left was the Castle Church and the corridors, which, among other things, connect the castle with the Castle Church and the Provisions Farm.
But there were two castles on the site before the Christiansborg Castles, and that is why we had come down to the basement. The largest and oldest ruin under the castle is the ring wall from Bishop Absalon’s, the founder of Copenhagen, castle from the 12th century.
All that remains of these castles are the excavated footings, most of these former castles were carefully demolished and their stones used elsewhere. There is a full range of displays and exhibits to show how the excavation of these ruins took place, what these castles would have looked like and the history of early Copenhagen as a settlement.
The Royal Kitchen
After being underground for a while it was nice to return to the surface. Just a short distance from the castle ruins entrance is another exhibit, the Christiansborg Palace kitchen. This also is a bit subterranean but does get some natural light. These kitchens are extensive, and the collection of copper cookware, one of Europe’s largest, is amazing. The kitchen is not used for cooking for nowadays but on occasions when official receptions take place the cooked food is brought in through here.
The Royal Stables
Our final stop on our tour of Christiansborg was the stables. These are home to the Royal horses who in the two wings of the stable building. There were no horses to see as they a put to pasture during the hot summer months, but there is a collection of carriages that have been used by the Royal Family over the years. The finest vehicle in the stable is the gold carriage. It was built in 1840 and is coated with 24-karat gold leaf. The oldest carriage in the stables is Queen Dowager Juliane Marie’s state vessel from 1778.
Planning your visit to Christiansborg Palace
The best time to visit Copenhagen
Reflecting its geographical position in Northern Europe, the city of Copenhagen aligns near-perfect with the Cfb Köppen climate classification, which implies a Marine west coast climate with warm summers. This designation characterizes areas where moderate temperatures prevail throughout the year, with no month dipping below -3°C (26.6°F), to balance the warmest month sitting below 22°C (71.6°F).
The best time to visit Copenhagen
The finest time to visit Copenhagen would be between May and August. This period boasts the highest average temperatures, from 15.5°C (59.9°F) to 21°C (69.8°F), alongside appreciable hours of daylight, from 16.3 hours in May to 16.9 hours in July. These months also provide suitable conditions for outdoor pursuits with relative humidity averaging 72-73% and the sea temperature comfortably exceeding 14.9°C (58.8°F). Even though June and July are admittedly on the wetter end of the spectrum, with rainfall measures of 50mm (1.97″) and 51mm (2.01″), it is counterbalanced with longer daylight hours and higher temperatures.
The worst time to visit Copenhagen
The least attractive time to visit Copenhagen is arguably the winter months, from December to February. During this phase, the city grapples with bitter cold temperatures, plummeting between -1.7°C (28.9°F) and 2.8°C (37°F). Adding to the chilly conditions, Copenhagen sees decreased daylight hours, from 7.1 hours in December to 9.6 hours in February, and an increase in snowfall days with 5.9 in December and 4.4 in January. Moreover, the harsh marine influence is felt with sea temperatures dropping to as low as 2.3°C (36.1°F) in February.
Where to stay in Copenhagen
Indre By (Inner City)
Indre By is the historic and tourist heart of the city (with prices to match), and it’s a great place to stay. Nyhavn’s colourful harbour is an inevitable first stop; then take in the National Museum and its Viking treasures, the refreshed Designmuseum Danmark, and Glyptoteket, a museum of marble sculptures with a divine winter garden. With the culture box ticked, you can relax at one of the area’s harbourside bars, including Apollo Bar, a chic spot in the Charlottenborg Art Gallery, Ruby, one of the city’s coolest cocktail bars, and wine bar Ved Stranden. You’re spoilt for choice in terms of restaurants too: Høst and Vækst offer a taste of Nordic cuisine, or dine at Selma for one of the most beautiful sandwiches of your life.
Vesterbro
Copenhagen’s reformed red light district, Vesterbro is lively and central with plenty going on. Boutique hotels abound, including Grand Joanne, Coco and newcomer Hotel Bella Grande. The area’s Meatpacking District is a key foodie centre, an area still used by the food industry during the day, with bustling restaurants such as Paté Paté, Magasasa and Kødbyens Fiskebar and nightclubs including Jolene in the evening. Tip: Ismageriet, its newest ice cream parlour, is worth the trip. Tivoli Gardens sits between Vesterbro and Indre By and is the city’s amusement park, full of surprisingly good restaurants as well as rollercoasters, and is the area’s must-visit.
Nørrebro
One of Time Out’s former Coolest Neighbourhoods in the World, Nørrebro fuses urban cool with pop-up restaurants and bars, the city’s best nightlife, and unique shopping opportunities, particularly down the independent mecca Jægersborggade, with its consignment stores, coffee shops and fantastic off licence Den Sidste Dråbe. The dining scene changes fast in this part of town, but current hot picks would be Italian trattoria Paesano, and the Guldbergsgade triangle of bar Brus, pizza joint Bæst and another Italian, Mirabelle Spiseria. Look out too, for a rising trend in plant-based food, led by bistro Baka d’Busk.
Christianshavn
If you find somewhere to stay in grand old Christianshavn, book it fast! This desirable, central, history-rich neighbourhood is lined by marinas and canals, with cobbled streets, coloured buildings and an array of independent shops to trawl, Ganni Postmodern included. It’s also an easy walk from a few harbourside areas with limited accommodation options, namely Holmen, Refshaleøen and freetown Christiania. Take a dip at Islands Brygge swimming pool, stroll the new Opera Park gardens, or grab a Go Boat and explore the waterfront by solar-powered boat.
1. Luxury – Copenhagen Admiral Hotel
Set in a heritage-listed 1780s building, this waterfront hotel is next to Amalienborg Royal Palace and opposite Copenhagen Opera House. It offers a gourmet restaurant, breakfast buffet with organic foods, plus in-room tea/coffee facilities.
Two hundred-year-old Pomeranian pine beams, brickwork and archways add a distinct charm to Copenhagen Admiral. Most rooms include exposed wooden beams in their design. All rooms have a seating area, mini-bar and multi-channel TV.
The elegant, 5-star Hotel H15 Francuski Old Town – Destigo Hotels is located only 400 metres from the Main Market Square in Kraków. It offers stylish rooms with free internet, tea and coffee-making facilities and a minibar.
All rooms at the Francuski are decorated in Art Nouveau style with period details and furniture. Each comes with satellite TV and a bathroom with a bathtub or shower, toiletries and a hairdryer.
A buffet breakfast is served every morning in the hotel restaurant. The bar is a great place to relax with a drink. The hotel also has a restaurant serving French cuisine, as well as completely gluten-free dishes.
2. Mid-Range – Go Hotel Ansgar
This cozy hotel is just a 3 minute walk from Central Station and is found close to Copenhagen’s main street, Strøget. It offers a furnished courtyard and free Wi-Fi.
Housed in an impressive 1880s building, Go Hotel Ansgar today provides neatly presented guest rooms with modern comforts.
All rooms have a fresh bathroom with a shower, as well as a work desk and a flat-screen TV.
The fashionable Vesterbro quarter is on Ansgar’s doorstep and offers an excellent mix of shopping, restaurants, nightlife and cultural attractions.
3. Budget – Steel House Copenhagen
Steel House Copenhagen is a fresh and modern hostel, located 5 minutes’ walk from Tivoli Gardens and Copenhagen Central Station. It offers a café, bar and indoor pool. Free WiFi is available throughout the property.
Steel House offers private rooms and dormitory rooms. Dormitory rooms come with lockers and convenient power sockets by each bed, and has access to shared bathroom facilities. The private rooms has its own bathroom with a shower.
You will find a 24-hour front desk at the property. Guests can also make use of a shared kitchen, and rent a bicycle to explore Copenhagen.