Christiansborg Palace with its high copper-roofed towers topped by three royal crowns

can be seen at a long distance – the big complex of buildings towers above the houses of the City centre. The Palace has a central position in the City of Copenhagen. Being the framework of Danish democracy, it is, indeed, the centre of the whole country.

The grand Palace

Christiansborg Palace is very spacious. It was erected in the 18th century in order to set the frame for the Court of the Danish absolute monarchs. At the time, the Kingdom of Denmark covered a vast area.The absolute monarchs also ruled Norway and the two rich Duchies of Slesvig and Holstein. In order to show off to foreign visitors and to accommodate a Court which has, during some periods, been composed of more than 1.000 persons, Christian VI made the first Christiansborg Palace spacious. And it became so big that to this day, it still houses the most important organs of democracy. In addition to the Folketing, the Palace comprises: the Royal Reception Rooms, the Prime Minister’s Office and the Supreme Court.

Absalon's Castle and the Castle of Copenhagen

Christiansborg Palace is situated on the island of Slotsholmen. At present, the island is surrounded by narrow canals but in the Middle Ages, it was situated at some distance from the mainland and from the small fishing hamlet of Havn. Absalon, bishop of Roskilde, took an interest in the spot seeing in it a link with the archiepiscopal see of Lund. Therefore, in the 1160s, he erected a castle at Slotsholmen. It took the form of a big tower surrounded by a wall which was to serve as a protection against the Vikings. The Castle survived for a good two hundred years. But in 1370, the Danish King, Valdemar Atterdag, was defeated by the Hanseatic towns in Northern Germany. The tearing down of the Castle was part of the peace terms. In the centuries which followed, the Danish Kings built a Palace at Slotsholmen, where they now took up residence – Copenhagen became the capital of the Realm.

The first Christiansborg Palace

In 1660, Denmark became an absolute monarchy which meant that the Kings now found the Castle of Copenhagen too small for their powerful position. In 1736, it was torn down, and as mentioned Christian VI built the magnificent first Christiansborg Palace:
a four-winged baroque Palace with a riding ground, a Court Theatre – which still stands – and a Palace Church, which was erected in the same place as the present one. For almost 50 years, a grand Court life was unfolding. But in 1794, the main wing caught fire, and the very Palace and Palace Church were burnt down.

The second Christiansborg Palace

The second Christiansborg Palace was erected from 1806-1828 in the classical style of the era. The severity and modesty of that style were suited to the poverty which marked the country after the Napoleonic Wars. It was this Palace which became the centre of events when the country passed from absolute monarchy to democracy. A mass procession gathered in front of the Palace in March 1848. The result was that Denmark got her first democratic Constitution. Later the King handed over some of his rooms to the Rigsdag (Parliament) which sat down to work in January 1850 in the same wing of Christiansborg Palace as the one which today houses the Chamber. The life of this Palace was limited to some 50 years. In October 1884, the second Christiansborg Palace was burnt down in the midst of the most serious crisis in Danish politics. The two political wings, the parties "Venstre" (the Left) and "Højre" (the Right), were political opponents, and they could not agree about the reconstruction. Therefore, the Palace was in ruins for twenty years before the reconstruction could begin.

The third Christiansborg Palace

It was Thorvald Jørgensen who won the architect’s competition which had been arranged. The erection of the present – and third – Christiansborg Palace began in 1908 using the same walls that had been used for the two previous Palaces. The style was that of the new baroque and the heaviness and solidity of the building were meant to underline the importance of the Palace as political centre of the Realm. The façades were decorated with symbols signifying the importance of the Palace: The base facing the Grand Square was carved in stones of granite donated by the individual local authorities of the country. And the decorations in sand stone above the windows show all the city and county arms of the country as well as the faces of famous Danish politicians.

Now the main part of the Palace is used by the Folketing. The focal point is the Chamber with its impressive rostrum encompassing President’s and spokesman’s table and the highly elaborate stucco ceiling with all the national symbols. Behind the Chamber is the Lobby which, like a main thoroughfare, runs right across the building; typical of its era with its simple art nouveau frieze, beautiful vaults and solid panels.