Rosenborg Castle, Copenhagen, Bezoekersgids & wat te doen in de buurt

Rosenborg Castle is a Dutch Renaissance royal castle in the centre of Copenhagen, built in the early 1600s as a summer residence for King Christian IV. Today it is a museum that houses the Danish crown jewels, the royal regalia and portraits of Denmark's monarchs, in rooms that have been kept much as they were when kings and queens lived in them.

The story behind it

Rosenborg was built between 1606 and 1624 as a summer residence. In those days it stood just outside the city, a country retreat for Christian IV, the king who left such a strong mark on the look of Copenhagen. The building grew over the years from a smaller house into the towered castle you see today, set within what became the King's Garden. Christian IV died at Rosenborg in 1648.

As later monarchs favoured other palaces, Rosenborg became a place where royal treasures and portraits were kept, and its rooms were preserved rather than remodelled. That is why a visit feels like walking through layers of Danish royal history, not through a modern exhibition. It now holds the crown jewels, the regalia and the portraits of the kings and queens of Denmark.

What to look for

• The castle's exterior, with its brick walls, sandstone details, gables and towers, is a fine example of Dutch Renaissance style in Denmark.
• The crown jewels and royal regalia are shown in the Treasury in the basement, and they are the main reason many visitors come.
• The Knights' Hall on the upper floor is the grandest room in the castle, with silver lions standing by the royal thrones.
• The King's Garden around the castle gives you a good view of the building from outside and is one of the most popular parks in Copenhagen.

Tips for your visit

• Allow around one and a half to two hours for the castle, plus extra time to stroll through the garden.
• You can go inside, as the castle is a museum, so check current opening hours and ticket details before you go.
• Arriving earlier in the day or on a weekday usually means fewer people in the small rooms, while the garden is best on a dry afternoon.
• Nørreport station and the Botanical Garden are a short walk away, so it fits easily into a day of exploring the city centre.

See it on a quest

The quest Time Travelers Cronophone in Copenhagen passes Rosenborg Castle, so you reach it on foot as one stop of a longer route through the area. The app tells you about each place as you arrive, and you solve a puzzle on the spot, which makes you look at the castle and its surroundings more closely than a quick photo would. It suits anyone drawn to the city's past, and one ticket covers the whole group. You can start whenever you like, with no guide and no group to join.