Location: Frederiksborg Slot 11 3400 Hillerød, Zealand Map
Tel. 42 26 04 39
Open: Apr- Sep: 10am- 5pm daily
Oct- Mar: 11am- 3pm daily
Baroque gardens: 10am- sunset
Frederiksborg Castle (Frederiksborg Slot) in Hillerød, Denmark, is the largest Renaissance complex in the Nordic countries and a premier example of Dutch/Flemish Renaissance architecture (also called Northern Mannerism) in Scandinavia.
Early Origins (Pre-1600)
The site originally featured a manor
known as Hillerødsholm, owned by the noble Gøye family. In the 1540s,
Herluf Trolle expanded it into a larger manor house. In 1560, King
Frederick II (r. 1559–1588) acquired the estate through an exchange and
renamed it Frederiksborg ("Frederick's Castle"). He expanded it as a
hunting lodge, adding structures like stables, towers, and a gated wall.
The Bath House (completed 1581) in the park served as a summer hunting
lodge. Frederiksborg was one of the first Danish royal castles built
inland, primarily for pleasure rather than defense.
Christian IV was
born at the castle in 1577.
Construction Under Christian IV
(1600–1620s)
King Christian IV (r. 1588–1648), one of
Denmark-Norway's most ambitious builders, decided to completely rebuild
and expand the castle in the Flemish/Dutch Renaissance style (Northern
Mannerism). Construction began around 1602; much of the older structure
was demolished. Architects included Hans van Steenwinckel the Elder (and
later the Younger), among others.
Key elements:
The main
four-storey building with three wings was largely completed by around
1610, with the Chapel finished by 1618.
The entire complex was
essentially done by 1620 (with some additions into the early 1620s).
It featured red brick with sandstone decorations, stepped gables,
towers, turrets, and symbolic sculptures glorifying the king (e.g.,
mythological figures, emperors like Alexander the Great and Julius
Caesar).
Notable features include the Neptune Fountain (original by
Adriaen de Vries, 1620–1622; a copy now stands there), the Audience
House (1616), the Great Hall, and the richly decorated Chapel.
The castle symbolized Christian IV's power and Denmark's status in
Northern Europe. While it was built, he stayed in a temporary
Italian-style pleasure palace called "Sparepenge" ("Savings") on the
other side of the lake.
17th–19th Centuries: Royal Residence and
Changes
Frederiksborg served as a royal residence for about a century
after completion. It hosted significant events, such as the signing of
the Treaty of Frederiksborg in 1720, which ended the Great Northern War
between Denmark-Norway and Sweden.
In the 1720s, under Frederick IV,
the Baroque garden (with cascades and symmetrical design) was created by
Johan Cornelius Krieger, replacing the old pleasure palace.
By the
late 18th century, it saw less royal use and began housing a royal
portrait collection.
In the 1850s, King Frederick VII resided there
with his morganatic wife, Louise Rasmussen (Countess Danner). They
modernized it with new fireplaces and stoves for comfort.
The
Great Fire of 1859 and Reconstruction
On the night of 16–17 December
1859, a devastating fire broke out while Frederick VII was in residence.
A fire lit in a third-floor room (for examining artifacts on a cold
night) spread rapidly due to a faulty or unrepaired chimney and frozen
lake conditions limiting water access. Most interiors were destroyed,
though the Chapel and Audience Chamber (with its Baroque decorations)
survived largely intact. Many paintings and artifacts were saved.
Reconstruction (1860–1880s) was funded by public subscription, a
lottery, the state, and especially brewer J.C. Jacobsen (founder of
Carlsberg). Architect Ferdinand Meldahl led the work, using old plans,
paintings by Heinrich Hansen, and preserved elements to restore the
exterior and many interiors to their Renaissance/Baroque appearance. A
copy of the Neptune Fountain was installed in 1888.
Museum of
National History (1878–Present)
The royal family decided not to
resume using it as a residence. J.C. Jacobsen proposed turning it into a
Museum of National History, which he funded (it remains part of the
Carlsberg Foundation). It opened to the public in 1882.
The
museum features:
Denmark's largest collection of portrait paintings.
History paintings depicting key events (e.g., works by Carl Bloch,
Laurits Tuxen).
Restored rooms like the Rose Room, Great Hall
(Riddersalen), Valdemar Room, and Audience Chamber.
The Chapel, used
for coronations/anointings (1671–1840) and now as a parish church and
knights' chapel for the Orders of the Elephant and Dannebrog (coats of
arms on the walls include figures like Nelson Mandela and Niels Bohr).
The historic Compenius organ (1610).
It presents 500+ years of Danish
history through art, furniture, and artifacts.
Gardens and
Setting
The castle is surrounded by beautiful gardens:
Baroque
Garden (Kaskaderne): Restored in the 1990s with cascades, hedges, and
royal monograms.
Romantic/English-style landscape garden with the
historic Bath House.
King Christian IV (r. 1588–1648) built the current castle between
roughly 1599 and 1620, replacing an earlier structure from his father
Frederick II's time (acquired in 1560). The project was designed to
showcase Christian IV’s power and status as a major European monarch.
Flemish architect Hans van Steenwinckel the Elder (and later his sons)
led the design.
The castle sits on three small islets in a lake
(Castle Lake), connected by bridges and causeways. This creates a
picturesque, fairy-tale setting with water on multiple sides. The main
palace occupies the northern islet in a roughly quadrangular
(four-sided) layout, while additional structures like the Audience House
stand on the middle islet. The overall complex includes stables,
outbuildings, and extensive gardens.
Key wings of the main palace
(northern islet):
King’s Wing (main northern wing, completed 1604):
Royal apartments and state rooms.
Chapel Wing (western wing,
completed 1606): Houses the magnificent chapel.
Princess’s Wing
(eastern wing, completed 1608).
Terrace Wing (connecting, one storey
high, completed 1609): Features open arcades overlooking the courtyard.
The layout forms a horseshoe shape around a central courtyard with
arcades. Symmetry is somewhat broken for dramatic effect, particularly
by the prominent bell tower on the Chapel Wing.
Exterior
Architecture
The castle is built primarily of red brick with light
sandstone decorations, stepped/curved gables, and copper-clad roofs and
spires that develop a distinctive green patina. This material palette
and ornate detailing are hallmarks of Dutch Renaissance style, adapted
with traditional Danish elements like exterior stair towers.
Prominent features:
Towers and turrets: Abundant for visual
drama. Notable are two octagonal towers with lofty spires overlooking
the lake (Mønttårnet to the west and Jægerbakkettårnet to the east). The
Chapel’s tall bell tower has chamfered corners with obelisks. Stair
turrets with copper domes adorn the courtyard side.
Gables and
decorations: Stepped and curved gables, ornate sandstone carvings,
statues of historical emperors (e.g., Alexander the Great, Julius
Caesar), mythological figures, and symbolic elements glorifying the king
(astrology, mythology, triumphal arches).
Neptune Fountain: A grand
Renaissance fountain in the outer courtyard (original by Adrian de Vries
taken as war booty; a copy was installed later). It symbolizes royal
power.
Portals and gates: Highly decorated, such as the Møntporten on
the Audience House with figures like Venus and Mars.
The design
emphasizes verticality through spires and towers, creating a soaring,
majestic silhouette against the water and sky.
Interior
Architecture and Key Rooms
Much of the original interior was lost in
a devastating fire in 1859 but was meticulously reconstructed in the
1860s using old plans, paintings, and drawings under architect Ferdinand
Meldahl. Some spaces, like the Chapel and Audience Chamber, survived
with minimal damage.
Highlights:
Chapel (Slotskirken): The
best-preserved original Renaissance space (consecrated 1617). It runs
the length of the west wing with a long nave and two-storey gallery.
Features a richly decorated six-vaulted stucco ceiling, pillars with
grisaille frescoes, ornate silver altarpiece and pulpit (by Jacob Mores,
Hamburg), and the historic Compenius organ (1610, with 1,001 wooden
pipes). Used for coronations (1671–1840) and still functions as a parish
church. Baroque elements were added later.
Audience Chamber
(Audienshuset): On the middle islet. Survived the fire; decorated in the
1680s in a Renaissance-Baroque blend by Lambert van Haven. Features a
sumptuous ceiling, allegorical dome paintings representing continents,
and ancestral portraits. Adjacent Privy Passage has elaborate stucco
work.
Great Hall: Rebuilt after the fire. Impressive with ornate
ceilings, chandeliers, tapestries, and a musician’s balcony. One of the
most spectacular rooms.
Other notable interiors: Marble Gallery in
the King’s Wing, Rose Room (original dining room), King’s Oratory
(partially lost), and numerous staterooms with portraits, furniture, and
historical artifacts. The castle now houses the Museum of National
History, with Denmark’s largest portrait collection.
Gardens and
Surroundings
Baroque Garden (Kaskaderne): To the east, restored in
the 1990s to its early 18th-century design by J.C. Krieger. Features
symmetrical parterres, cascades, fountains, and hedges with royal
monograms.
Additional landscaped areas, including a hunting park and
the historic Bath House (from Frederick II’s era).