Frederiksborg Palace

Frederiksborg Palace (Danish Frederiksberg Slot) is a moated castle in Hillerød on the Danish island of Zealand. It is considered the largest and most important building of the northern Renaissance and today houses the Danish National History Museum.

Historical Overview

The later Frederiksborg Castle goes back to a farm in the Middle Ages, which was first mentioned in writing in 1275. 1560 acquired the Danish King Frederick II the former mansion Hillerødsholm and the adjacent lands. The king ordered the mansion to extend a hunting seat, a new building was in his time but not yet for execution and an originally crafted for Frederiksborg portal even got as a gift in the Jutland Voergaard. The present castle was built under Frederick's son, Christian IV, who was born in 1588 at Frederiksborg. Christian IV is one of the baufreudigsten princes of his time in Northern Europe: Through the income from Sundzoll him extensive financial resources were available that allowed among other things, the castles of Gluckstadt, Rosenborg and Halmstad. However, his biggest castle the king had set up in Hillerød, he removed the old hunting seat there and built on three small islands in the Frederiksborgsee the new palace with his father's name by the architect Hans van Steen angle.

Since Christian V. all Danish kings of the House of Oldenburg were ( with the exception of Christian VII ) anointed in the castle chapel. The weddings of the royal family normally take place there. Along the galleries, the coats of arms of the support of the Dannebrog and the Order of the Elephant can be seen. Also unique is the crafted in ebony, ivory and silver organ of Esaias Compenius from the year 1610.

In the Knights' Hall of the castle was completed in 1720 the Great Northern War with the peace of Frederiksborg between Denmark and Sweden. On the night of 16th to December 17th 1859 in the castle a fire broke out which destroyed the facility in the main building. After the great fire of Frederiksborg has been completely renovated with financial support from the Danish industrialist Jacob Christian Jacobsen. 1878, Carl Jacobson, the establishment of a National History Museum. In about 60 rooms paintings and furnishings from all eras are shown, which have been compiled from castles and stately homes all over Denmark.

The building

The castle is located in a sequence of three islands at the western edge of the castle lake. Towards the city, the castle area is protected by a turreted walls and bailey, on which the average island follows the outer courtyard, the Steward and the Fountain of Neptune. On the last island is the actual castle, whose walls rise directly from the water. The floor plan of the three -winged palace is horseshoe- shaped, the wings are built around a courtyard decorated with arcades. The central kingside with its courtyard side stairs and the garden -side residential towers is the center of the castle, the north-western wing - characterized by the largest tower of the castle - houses the chapel, the opposite tract is known as Princess Wing. The castle is built entirely of brick and decorated with cornices, pediments and decorative figures of sandstone rich in the style of northern Renaissance.

The baroque garden by Johan Cornelius Krieger with Broderieparterre and cascade originated 1720-1725 axially to the north facade of the castle, it was reconstructed from 1993 to 1996 the original building.

Gallery

The castle after the fire, Paintings from 1860

View from the baroque garden on the north facade

View from the outer courtyard of Frederiksborg