Christiansborg Castle

Christiansborg over and over

In 1167, Copenhagen’s castle, Absalon, was established. Back then, the city itself was not too important but the location was still strategically important as it was possible to surveil the trade in the Baltic Sea and protect the city from naval attacks. Absalon’s Castle was attacked and seized on several occasions but it was not until it was conquered by enemies in 1369 that the castle was torn down. Another 30 years went by before the castle was rebuilt, and its name was changed to Copenhagen’s Castle. This version of the castle was renovated and expanded several times until 1735 when Christian VI tore the medieval Copenhagen Castle down. He spent the following 10 years building the first Christiansborg Castle.

The first Christiansborg Castle burned down in 1794. The second Christiansborg Castle was finished in 1828, but unfortunately also burned down in 1884. The third (and current) Christiansborg Castle was built between 1907 and 1928.

The ruins under Christiansborg

While a huge collection of important works of art has been collected in the Queen’s halls, a large culture-historical treasure was discovered by chance. In the basement of Christiansborg Castle, you can experience the well-kept ruins from Absalon’s Castle and Copenhagen’s Castle. In the beginning of the 1900s, when workers were casting the foundation of the current castle, they encountered several buildings and parts of the ring wall.

The large cultural treasure that Christiansborg sits on makes up an amazing opportunity to experience Denmark’s past 1,000 years of history. The exhibit rooms in the basement, through the halls, and all the way up to the tower tell a unique story about Copenhagen and Denmark.