In the past, the kings were the only people with the means and the power to carry out large building projects. In Copenhagen a few stand out:

Christian IV (1588-1648) is perhaps the most colourful and imaginative king in Danish history. He was a typical Renaissance monarch, and although he left the country bankrupt, his lavish spending resulted in a legacy of characteristic buildings.

Rosenborg Castle

Surrounded by the King's Garden, Rosenborg Palace was built as a pleasure palace outside the fortified town walls. Here you can still see the rooms in which Christian IV relaxed and studied, and this Palace was where he chose to be brought to die.

Royal descendants have contributed to the interior decoration of the rooms, and on the top floor you will find a fine example of a Baroque room with tapestries woven to measure especially this banquet hall. The tapestries are from the late 17th cemtury.

In the basement, in well protected vaults, you can admire the crown regalia and jewellery used by the Queen on state occasions.

Børsen

The Stock Exchange was originally built as a roofed market place. Today the Danish Chamber of Commerce has its offices here, so the building is not open to the general public. Christian IV loved fireworks which at that time could take the form of images, for example palaces, temples and fabulous beasts, and this gave him the inspiration for the very special spire of the building, representing four dragon tails intertwining. The three crowns on top represent the three countries of the Danish kingdom at the time: Denmark, Norway and Sweden.

The Trinitatis Church and the Round Tower

Students at the nearby University and their religious and spiritual well being were on the King's mind when he ordered the building of the Trinity Church.

A 210 meter/630 feet long spiral ramp leads up to the top of the Round Tower, where an astronomical observatory was placed. Just across the street you will find Regensen, a student dormitory still used for its original purpose.

Tøjhusmuseet

The Armoury Museum just behind Christiansborg Palace was built together with the matching Proviantgården. These two buildings today flank the small Royal Library garden which fills out the space that originally housed a naval harbour.

From here the ships in the King's fleet were equipped and armed before sailing off on their missions in the beginning of the 1600's.

Holmens Church

This church was originally an anchor smithy which Christian IV transformed into a church especially for the sailors in the Navy. It is still Denmark's church for the Navy. 

The church has also been used for royal weddings. Our present Queen Margrethe II, when still a Crown Princess, was married here to the French Count Henri de Montpezat in 1967.

Nyboder

A housing development from the 17th cemtury consisting of small yellow houses, showing how innovative and untraditional King Christian IV was.

From a practical point of view it was useful to have the sailors in his fleet living in a confined area. In this way they could be called on duty quickly when necessary. Even to this day the houses are inhabited only by people connected to the Navy.

Christianshavn

Or "New Amsterdam" was built on a filled in water bed. Christian IV was a great admirer of the Netherlands and had the Dutch architect Johan Semp make the plans for this new town, where merchants were persuaded to settle.

This area has not suffered in the great fires, so you can still see examples of houses from the late 1600's.