Photos

The ornate main entrance, Frederiksborg Castle

Frederiksborg Castle is the largest Renaissance Castle in Scandinavia. It was built in the first decades of the 17th century by King Christian IV and incorporates the finest Renaissance architecture and craftsmanship.

The main building has three wings – the King’s Wing, the Chapel Wing and the Princess’s Wing. As early as 1608 they were all completed and during the following decade a whole complex of buildings were erected around the main building.

Since 1878, Frederiksborg Castle has housed the Museum of National History. A tour through the beautiful rooms of the museum is a tour through 500 years of Danish history, illustrated by portraits, history paintings, furniture and decorative art. Here you encounter people and events that have shaped Danish history from the Middle Ages to the 21st century.

History

Frederiksborg Castle is located in the middle of Hillerød on three islands in the castle lake. The oldest parts of the castle were built in 1560 by King Frederik II and the castle is named after him.

The majority of the present castle was built between 1600-1620 by Frederik II's son, Christian IV in Dutch Renaissance style with sweeping gables, sandstone decorations and copper-covered roofs and spires. The castle burnt in 1859 but was rebuilt from 1860-84 with financial support from brewer J. C. Jacobsen and later by the Carlsberg Foundation.

The part of the castle with the two low round towers on the southernmost island beside the S-bridge that connects the first and middle islets were part of Frederik II's original Frederiksborg as were the small Bath House between The Enclosure and the small Deer Park.

The Danish Kings lived in Frederiksborg Castle for about a century and the absolute monarchs were crowned in the palace chapel from 1671. Since 1693, Christian IV's palace chapel has also served as the knight's chapel for the Order of the Elephant and the Knights of the Dannebrog and is also used as a parish church at the moment. The church also houses the old organ from 1610 built by Esajas Compenius. Source: dk.wictor/frederiksborg.html.)