Rosenborg
Castle - King Christian IV's Castle
Rosenborg Castle is King Christian IVs Castle:
- He built Rosenborg
- He lived all his life at Rosenborg
- He died at his beloved Rosenborg.
King
Christian IV - as a boy painted in 1585 by Hans Knieper.
He officially succeeded the Danish throne in 1588, just
11 years old and later crowned in 1596 at Copenhagen's
Cathedral. The King was born at Frederiksborg Castle
in North Zealand - and near the town of Hillerød
– almost 40 km from the city centre of Copenhagen
- but spent most of his childhood at the old medieval
Copenhagen Castle from 1370s - where the present Christiansborg
Palace is situated.
In
the Thirty Years' War with Sweden - King Christian IV
demonstrate a heroism that is remembered by the Danish
Nation and glorified is name for ever - as he on the
deck of the battleship -Trefoldighed - (Trinity) in
1644 - at the Bay of Kiel was hit by splinters of wood
and metal by a exploded canon that wounded him several
places and blinding him totally one eye. The King’s
bloody clothing from this event is displayed at Rosenborg
Castle.
King
Christian IV
Beside of being the most famous King in the list of Danish
Sovereigns - and known by any purple and adult in the kingdom
of Denmark - King Christian IV was also a
very popular and enterprising Monarch - who ruled Denmark
and Norway from 1588 until his death in 1648.
King Christian IV was the son of King Frederik II
(1553-1588 - ruled Denmark and Norway 1559-1588) and was born
at Frederiksborg Castle in North Zealand in 1577.
He succeeded to the throne in 1588 only 11
years old and was later crowned at the age of 19
at Copenhagen Cathedral in 1596. The King
resided at the old medieval and cramped Copenhagen
Castle - and at Frederiksborg Castle
- nearly 40 km from Copenhagen.
A
Royal ceremony in 1660 was held outside of the square
of ancient Copenhagen Castle, on the right of the painting
by Heinrich Hansen, to acclaim King Frederik III as
the heir to the throne. King Christian IV lived here
until he moved out to his is little summer residence
- Rosenborg. In the middle of the painting is the Old
Stock Exchange from 1620, and on the left the naval
church “Holmens Kirke” inaugurated in 1619.
Both properties were built by King Christian IV.
King
Christian IV’s birthplace Frederiksborg Castle
was rebuilt by the King at the beginning of the 17th
century and was used as a Royal residence until the
Royal Family moved into Rosenborg Castle around 1610.
In 1850s the Castle was again used by King Frederik
VII as a Royal residence and in 1859, while he was in
residence - a heavy fire destroyed almost all of the
Castles interior and other valuable artefacts. Today
- the Castle houses the Museum of National History.
Vintage
Tourism Poster
Rosenborg Castle - Copenhagen.
King
Christian IV and Rosenborg Castle
As
a young Monarch King Christian IV
had many building projects on the planning stage
and one of his first achievements was to establish
a new park area in Renaissance Style outside of
Copenhagen in the beginning of 1600s
called Kongens Have “The Kings Garden”.
At that time the King and his family resided in
the city at the old outdated Copenhagen Castle
from about 1370 - which was patched
together and rebuilt several times by many sovereigns.
The “Kings Garden”
- and Rosenborg Castle.
As King Christian IVs preferred residence Frederiksborg
Castle was situated 40 km away from Copenhagen
- he decided to build a summer residence closer
to the city - and place the Royal estate in the
newly developed “Kings Garden”
- and named it Rosenborg Castle.
King
Christian IV on horseback in 1638 - outside the ramparts
of Copenhagen overlooking his beloved Rosenborg Castle,
which was completed a few years earlier in 1634.
Rosenborg
Castle in 1749 - with the huge park in Renaissance style
called the "Kings Garden", and the kitchens
garden as well as the orangery on the left of the painting.
Sightseeing
Tours - Copenhagen. Rosenborg Castle - Copenhagen
- Denmark.
Rosenborg
Castle 1606-1634
In 1606 the actual landscaping of
the park area called "The Kings Garden"
(Kongens Have) began and at the same time building
construction of Rosenborg Castle started and later
developed in stages over a period of almost 22
years. The first building was a two story
mansion in Dutch Renaissance style with one tower
on the west side - and in 1611 an
extra gate tower and drawbridge was built.
Extension of Rosenborg Castle
Extension of the Castle took place between 1613
to 1615 - which turned it into twice the
length and size - and later between 1616
and 1624 the Long Hall
(The Knights' Hall) was added as a extra story to
the Royal property together with the Great
Tower on the west side of the Castle and
the former two eaves chambers were converted into
the existing spire-crowned towers on the east side
- which changed the little summer residence from 1606
into a fashionable and comfortable residence for the
Royal Family and Household. The Castle still needed
a presentable entrance - which was built when King
Christian IV was to host the extravagant wedding of
his son the Prince Elect Frederik (III)
and Princess Magdalena Sibylla in
1634
The
present Rosenborg Castle with its beautiful rose garden
park. The two spire-crowned towers on the east side
was reconstructed in 1616 and the main entrance in the
middle was built in 1634.
Rosenborg
Castle seen from the west side with the Great Tower
from 1616. The moat around the Castle premises is the
remains of the old rampart and city moat that surrounded
Copenhagen.
The
Kings Garden (Kongens Have)
The Kings Garden (Kongens Have) was open to the public
in the beginning of the 1700s - and has since
been a very popular retreat - as well as a great picnic area
for Copenhageners in the centre of city. The entire historical
venue at Rosenborg draws nearly 3.0 million
visitors every year.
The
Royal residence Rosenborg
Most of his adult life King Christian IV lived at his beloved
Castle Rosenborg. The King had his quarters in the northern
part of the castle and the Queen had her chambers in the southern
end. The central part of the Castle was reserved as the Kings
Audience room as well as the antechamber
and the Great Hall was one of the most visited
places at the Royal Court.
The King's daily menu - 16-20 dishes
The Kings normal menu at suppertime often consist of 16-20
assorted dishes - and when Royal Banquets and stately events
took place in the Great Hall - the menu for the feast presented
the guests with up to 38 different culinary courses
- and unlimited beer - wine - as well as Royal entertainers.
The Castle was at that time outside the ramparts of Copenhagen
- with its own well assorted kitchen and flower gardens plus
a large orangey that supplies fresh vegetables - herbs and
fruit for the Royal kitchen - as well as flowers for the Royal
apartments - and for decorations at Banquets. King Christian
IV died at Rosenborg Castle in 1648 at the
age of 70 - and is buried in Roskilde
Cathedral - where tourists and visitor can see his
Sarcophagus in King Christian IV’s Chapel.
King
Christian IV on his deathbed at Rosenborg Castle on
28. February - 1648. His favorite daughter Leonora Christine
closed his eyes - when he dies peacefully in the afternoon
without any pain - in his beloved Castle. The Prince
Elect Frederik (III) - later King Frederik III (introduced
absolute monarchy) succeeded the throne after his father
- and lived at Rosenborg until his death in 1670.
King
Christian IV is buried in Roskilde Cathedral together
with is wife Queen Anna Cathrine of Brandenburg - and
both Sarcophaguses are places in King Christian IV's
Chapel together with other Monarchs from the Oldenborg
dynasty. The huge painting on the wall shows King Christian
IV on the deck of the battleship “Trefoldighed”
- (Trinity) in 1644 - where he was wounded and lost
an eye.
Rosenborg
Castle after King Christian IV
Rosenborg was used as a Royal residence until around 1710
- when King Christian IV's great grandson King Frederik
IV (1671-1730 - ruled Denmark and Norway 1699-1730)
left it in favour of his new and more suitable summer residence
Frederiksberg Castle built in 1699.
Rosenborg Castle became instead a Royal museum
- and the setting for the Royal collections - as well as King
Christian IV’s marvellous personal collection and historical
artefacts together with the many well preserved pieces of
interior - which are quite matchless relics today.
Interior
in King Christian VI's room at Rosenborg Castle with
tapestries displaying the life of Alexander the Great.
The room was the former bedroom of Princess Sophie Hedevig
- who was the sister to King Frederik IV. Many of the
rooms at Rosenborg are equipped with the original furniture
and precious artefacts..
The
thrones of the Danish Kings and Queens were used from
1671 to 1840 - when the last Danish Monarch King Christian
VIII was anointed and crowned as King. The Kings throne
is made of pure narwhal tusk in 1662 - and both thrones
are placed in the Great Hall with the symbolic silver
lions in front.
Royal
Residence again in 1794 and 1801
After 1710 - Rosenborg Castle was used twice
as Royal residences in a very short period. In 1794
- when the second Christiansborg Palace was
raised by fires and the reigning monarch King Christian
VII and family became homeless - the Rosenborg property
was taken in to use - and then in 1801 -
when the British army attacked the city during the naval Battle
of Copenhagen.
Many
types of special exhibitions are on display at Rosenborg
Castle - such as decorative art - furniture and fashion
garments plus personal belongings to Royal members of
the Oldenborg line. The museum has an extra large collection
of objects and artefact that particularly is taken into
use for extraordinary presentations at the Castle -
including Royal clothing in historical surroundings.
The
Crown of King Christian V and Queen Charlotte Amalie
was specially designed and made for the crowning of
the King in 1671 - and has been used by all kings up
to Christian VIII. The Crown is one of the most precious
artefacts among the Crown Jewels in the Treasury section
beneath Rosenborg Castle. The Crown is made in solid
gold plus equipped with enamel - pearls - sapphires
- table cut stones and weighs almost 3 kg.
The
Crown Jewels - Rosenborg Castle
The
Crown Jewels
Rosenborg
Castle - Copenhagen.
The
Crown Jewels
In 1838 - Rosenborg Castle was
opened as a museum to the public with the Royal
Crown Jewel and the Danish Crown
Regalia kept safely in the castle cellars.
The castle museum enlightens the history of the
Danish Oldenburg Kings through 300 years
- from King Frederik II in the
late 16th century to King
Frederik VII in the 19th century.
After the abolishment of Absolutism in 1849
- the Royal castles and palaces became state property.
In 1854 - the last Oldenburg King
Frederik VII agreed with the Danish state
that the collection was to become entailed property
passed on from King to King.
The
Royal Life Guards at Rosenborg & Amalienborg
The
Royal Life Guards marching from the drill grounds of
Rosenborg Castle - and directly to the 4 Amalienborg
Palaces for the ceremonial changing of the guards. The
drill and exercise grounds at Rosenborg were established
in 1730 - by King Frederik IV.
The
main duty of The Royal Life Guards is to protect the
Royal Family - wherever they are in residence in Denmark.
The Royal Guard Regiment was founded in 1658 by King
Frederik III - and has a permanent Guard unit at all
4 Amalienborg Palaces in Copenhagen.
The
Royal Life Guards at Rosenborg
Beside of protecting the Crown Jewels at Rosenborg Castle
the Royal Guard founded in
1658
by
King Christian IV’s son
King
Frederik III (1609-1670 - ruled Denmark and
Norway 1648-1670) - the Royal Guards also protects the
Royal Family wherever they reside in Denmark. Just next
to Rosenborg Castle is the barrack and drill ground
of the Royal Guards, which was established around
1730
during the reign of
King Frederik IV
(1671-1730 - ruled Denmark and Norway 1699-1730).
Amalienborg Palace - The Royal Residence
Visitors can follow The Royal Life Guards marching from
Rosenborg Castle at
11:30 am to the
present Royal residence
Amalienborg Palace
- when the Guards exercise the ceremonial changing of
the guards at
12:00.
See:
Amalienborg
Palaces
King
Christian IVs buildings
Holmens
Naval Church - 1619
Old
Stock Exchange - 1620
King
Christian IV was recognized as the great architect
and builder of Copenhagen and during his reign he built and
re-establish the most remarkable Renaissance buildings and
properties ever seen in history and that are historic landmarks
spread all over the city and North Zealand. The best known
buildings outside of Copenhagen are the restoration of Kronborg
Castle from 1629-1639 as well as
Frederiksborg Castle from 1600-1620
- and some of the buildings erected by the King in and around
Copenhagen includes King Christian IV’s Brewery
from 1608 - the Naval Church
from 1619 (Holmens Kirke) - the Stock
Exchange from 1620 - the Old
Citadel from 1625 - the Round
Tower and observatory from 1642
- and last but not least his beloved and most crowning achievement
Rosenborg Castle from 1606–1624.
Location
Rosenborg Castle is located just outside of the centre of
the city and is placed next to the National Gallery
and Botanical Gardens. The Castle is situated
next to the pedestrian street “Strøget”
and Nørrebro Station.
Rosenborg
Castle
Address
Rosenborg Slot - Rosenborg Castle
The Royal Danish Collections
(Crown
Jewellery & Treasury)
リster Voldgade 4
1350 Copenhagen K
Trains: N?rreport
To
be continued!