Christiansborg Palace

On the little island of Slotsholmen — the spot where Copenhagen itself began — stands Christiansborg, the third palace of that name to hold the site. Beneath it lie the foundations of Bishop Absalon's castle of 1167, the literal seed of the city, now uncovered as a ruin you can walk straight through.

The first Christiansborg, a huge Baroque palace, burned in 1794; the one that replaced it burned again in 1884; the grey-granite palace standing today was finished in 1928. Its tower rises 106 metres, the tallest in Copenhagen.

What it is famous for

Christiansborg is unique in the world as one building sheltering all three branches of a country's power: the Folketing (the Danish Parliament), the Supreme Court, and the Royal Reception Rooms the monarch still uses for affairs of state. Almost nowhere else are parliament, judiciary and crown gathered beneath a single roof.

Visitors can see the Royal Reception Rooms, lined with Bjørn Nørgaard's vivid tapestries that tell a thousand years of Danish history; the medieval ruins below; the Royal Stables; and the Tower (Tårnet), which can be climbed free of charge for one of the best views over the city.

Good to know

The various parts of the palace are ticketed separately, and some areas close when affairs of state demand it. Christiansborg sits in the very heart of Copenhagen, within easy reach of the Strøget and the canals, and is simple to get to on foot, by bus or by harbour bus.