Amalienborg Palace, Copenhagen


If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
Thanks, Sun Lion. :flowers:

I see you had a couple of shots at M&F's bedroom windows, and they were home that day.
 
Here are a few of the photos I took of M and F's Amalienborg Palace.

These are from the back, as I'm sure most people who are interested would have seen the front in many other photos over the years.

Notice the gold crown on the "Alarm" sign.

This is the garden door that is on the street - across from the canal and the bus parking area.

thank you for sharing all your photos and experiences Sun Lion :flowers:
Im very jealous ;)
 
Thank you for sharing the link Muhler. Now correct if I'm wrong but the photos show the ground floor public reception rooms along with the banqueting kitchen?

From what I understand, the CP couple and the children live and work on the upper floors. Is that the case?
 
Thank you for sharing the link Muhler. Now correct if I'm wrong but the photos show the ground floor public reception rooms along with the banqueting kitchen?

From what I understand, the CP couple and the children live and work on the upper floors. Is that the case?

That's correct. The two lower floors are primarily offices, reception and representation. - But with four lively children around I guess you can find toys here and there as well from time to time.
 
I saw at Amalienborg ( in 2005 )King Frederick 's Desk with a lot of pictures of his wife and his daughters.
 
During WWII there were fighting around Amalienborg three times. On 9th April when the Germans invaded. The Royal Lifeguards fired at German soldiers probing toward Amalienborg.
On 29th August 1943, when the Danish Parliament stopped co-operating and the Danish military (what was left of it) was rounded up. Again the Royal Lifeguard fired back.
And finally in 1944 when the police was rounded up. (After the military was interned, the police stood guard at Amalienborg).
And until the early hours of 5th May 1945 it was German soldiers who stood guard, when they withdrew to their barracks and Resistance fighters stood guard until the Danish Brigade returned from Sweden and had time to allocate a few men for guard duty.

But the bullet holes at Amalienborg are still visible as you can see in this video: VIDEO Skudhullerne i Amalienborg minder os om krigen i Danmark | Nyheder | DR
 
:previous: I'm reading Emma Tom's book, ''Something About Mary''...I know, I know... She mentions a story about Queen Ingrid: when the Germans invaded, they wanted to take over Ingrid and Frederik's home for their headquarters. She told them that the Danes had allowed them into the country, but there was no way they were getting her home. She wouldn't let them in! No wonder she was so admired.
 
Those of you who have seen pictures of Amalienborg have also seen this colonnade connecting two of the mansions: Her er Amalienborgs hemmelige gange - Royale | www.bt.dk

It wasn't there originally.

Back in 1794 Christiansborg Palace, which was then the main seat of the DRF in Copenhagen, burned to the ground. So the DRF were suddenly homeless - or palaceless as they call it in royal circles - and had to find a new suitable residence fast while a new Christiansborg was being build.
The choice fell on four mansions situated around a square. Three of the mansions were bought and the King Christian VII moved into one of them, while the Crown Prince moved into the mansion right next to.

Alas, Christian VII was more or less insane, so the Crown Prince was Regent and that meant that even though the official business to place in the mansion where the King lived, it was also de facto office for the Crown Prince. The mansions build as private houses were not interconnected in any way and having the Crown Prince walking from his mansion to his father's mansion wasn't seen as befitting his status. On the other hand it was pretty silly that he had to be driven or mount a horse several times a day, just for a hundred meters or so!
So it was decided to construct a connection, so that the Crown Prince could walk (and also didn't have to go outside in all sort of weather) between the two mansions.
And thus the colonnade was build. As Amalienborg was only supposed to be a temporary residence it was decided to make the colonnade from wood and make it look like it was made in stone.
And now it's possible for the royals to walk inside the colonnade from mansion to mansion.
Nowadays the colonnade connects the mansion in which the current Regent Couple live with the mansion that is now being used for official functions, like dinners, the grand New Year Court and so on, and also to house prominent guests.

Well, time passed and the DRF liked living at Amalienborg, so even though a new Christiansborg was build (and later burned down only to be rebuild once again) the DRF made Amalienborg their official residence. Even though it's somewhat small for a royal main residence. - So a lot of the more official business takes place at Christiansborg.

Oddly enough no one has ever considered digging underground passages between the four mansions. (Unless of course they are kept very secret).

Then WWII came and DK was occupied. Towards the end of the war the situation between the Danes in general and the German occupiers was strained to put it mildly. As the police and military had been interred by 1944 it was German soldiers who stood guard outside Amalienborg and there was good reasons for concern that the King Christian X would be seized by the Germans in case of a general revolt in DK, so plans were made to evacuate the DRF without the Germans knowing about it.

The then head of security of the DRF decided to dig a tunnel away from Amalienborg in order to evacuate the DRF should the need arise. That was done in deep secrecy and not without problems due to the German guards who at some point noticed weird noises coming from underground.
Anyway, over the course of a few months a 31 meter long tunnel was dug between the mansion where Christian X resided and a stable that is a part of the wider Amalienborg complex. (A number of the houses and buildings around Amalienborg are a part of the palace complex, housing offices, equipment, storages and apartments).
During the war Christian X feel from his horse and became more or less invalided, so the plan was to cary him on a stretcher away from Amalienborg and evacuate the DRF (using an ambulance) to a safe place further away. (An apartment owned by a ministry was ready). When the tunnel was finished the Crown Prince later Frederik IX, took part in a dress rehearsal. An experience that amused him.
However, King Christian X who was an army officer of the old school did not approve of the idea of "going underground"! As an officer he considered that to be dishonorable.
Fortunately the tunnel was never used and gradually fell into disrepair and became partially flooded.

- You can read more about this tunnel in the thread.
 
:previous:very interesting. thank you :flowers:

I think I'll put this here, the DRF has placed some pictures about a new exhibition on Amalienborg Palace.
Udstilling: Bag om Amalienborg - Kongehuset

"The exhibition: behind the Amalienborg
Amalienborg museum opens Friday, October 9, 2015 the doors to the special exhibition 'Behind the Amalienborg' by artist Pia Schutzman.

Pia Schutzman has taken unknown aspects of the palaces of Amalienborg after visiting farms, gardens, basements and attics that are not otherwise available to the public over the past few years.

The exhibition runs until and including 3 January 2016." :flowers:
 
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Winter has descended over DK and the temperature has dropped. We can expect minus 17 degrees C (1 F) tonight and the cold weather may last well into March, perhaps even April.

It snowed in many parts of DK yesterday, not least in Copenhagen. Here is a picture of a sentry at Amalienborg in the snow yesterday: http://www.bt.dk/sites/default/files-dk/node-images/8/12/12008276-snevejr.jpg

As you can tell the snow is wet and sticky these days. (Come to think of it we actually have at least five or six words or descriptions of snow in Danish).

The picture puzzle me though! Normally the tent hat is only worn when it's very hot or if the guards have been called out, say due to an alarm.
And in cold weather the sentries wear a cape over the greatcoat for warmth.
So I don't know what has been going on. :ermm:
 
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It's funny you should mention it. I was just about to write about this very room. :)
Great, now people can look at your pictures.

The room is called Fanegemakket = The Colour Chamber (as in a flag) and you can see it here on the floorplan as room #18: https://app.box.com/shared/t80au7kpir

Apart from obviously being the room where M&F officially meet and greet guests. The guests will be waiting in room #19. And move on into the Gobelin Hall #20 after having said hello to M&F.

The name and location is significant. The Colour Chamber, because when M&F become the Regent Couple, this is where the Colours of the Royal Lifeguard Regiment's Guards Battalion will be placed.
They will be moved here the day Frederik become king.
 
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Tak Muhler! It is a very lovely room and I especially like the periwinkle blue color on the walls.
 
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Summary of a Q&A in Billed Bladet #41, 2016.

Where a P.V. Finnedal wonder why Joachim and our Marie didn't move in at Christian VIII's mansion at Amalienborg after the sale of Schackenborg.
After all Joachim and Frederik had that mansion at their disposal when they turned eighteen.

Jon Bloch Skipper responds that he can well understand why Joachim moved into a villa of his own.
Christian VIII's mansion house an apartment for Joachim, but also Benedikte (and it's also the museum of Amalienborg), so there really isn't that much room.
And he can well imagine the DRF wouldn't be that interested in all of them living door to door on a daily basis.

- That sounds pretty plausible to me as well. I wouldn't like to live next door to mine or my wife's family on a daily basis - as much as I like them.
And eventually M&F's children will need the apartments at Christian VIII's mansion.
 
I agree that Joachim and his family living full time at the palace while sharing it with Benedikte would not be an ideal situation for all involved. Joachim and family can enjoy their home away from the royal hustle and bustle of Amalienborg but be close enough for event.s
 
I have to agree with others that it wouldn't be that great of an experience "living above the shop" so to speak at Amelienborg Palace. A home is best when its just a home and not among other things with a bunch of other people roaming around.
 
i was there a very beautiful palace. the Place where the palace is is very beautiful.
 
Welcome to the board, Feyza.oz :flowers:

Do share more from your experience. It's always interesting to learn from those on the spot.
We natives also tend to see tings differently and focus on other things.
 


I must say the room is huge, I love the chandelier and the curtains, the mirror with the gold trim and all the molding and the gold in the doors, but the furniture and decorations it is nothing special!
 
Loving old castles and palaces, that pinkish coffee table is so out of place in that beautiful room. And change that desk/sofa table sitting behind that sofa. Having some little experience in design, these two things stood out like sore thumbs, other then that, great room and a very handsome couple.
 
BB has compiled a little appendix about M&F's residence at Amalienborg this week.
Here is first the entire folder: Inside M&F's home
Note! Not all the scans are also posted below.

And then I'll go into details about what is shown in the article. I'll write what the rooms are called in Danish and English, to reduce confusion and as a guide, should you stumble over a photo of M&F's home, with a Danish caption.
I will also add numbers to my comments. Numbers that correspond with the numbers on this floorplan: Floorplan

Let's start with this official photo: Tapestry Hall
#20 - Gobelinsalen = The Tapestry-hall. This hall is furnished and decorated in the style the mansion had when it was taken over by the DRF back in the late 1700's.

Mary with Ziggy and the main stairs: Main staircase
#1 - Hovedtrappen = the main staircase.

The Colour Chamber, Mary's office, Mary's reception room and the Conference room
#18 Top - Fanegemakket = The colour-room. Here official guests are welcomed by M&F. When Frederik become king, the colours of the Royal Lifeguard Regiment will be stored here.
#8 Bottom left - Marys kontor = Mary's office.
#7 Middle right - Forgemak = Front/reception room for Mary's office. And presumably where her secretary works. - The artwork, depicting the world, it meant to remind people that one is merely a humble thing in a big, big world.
#2 Bottom right - Mødelokalet = The conference room. The psychedelic painting in the ceiling depicts the universe with the Sun as center.

The Knights Hall-A
The Knights Hall-B
#9 - Riddersalen = The Knights Hall/Great Hall. - The largest room in the residence. The stools the family is sitting on for the official photo are from 1828. And there are 10 of them. Five chandeliers are suspended from the ceiling. When Frederik become king, this is the room they will emerge from when going out on the balcony.
When Queen Ingrid lived here, she always served tea in this room at 16.00. So Frederik has many fond memories from this room.

The Great Dining Room-A
The Great Dining Room-B
#24 - Taffelsalen = The Great Dining Room. The doors are in a classical style. The mirrors in the niches are specially made. The decorations on the wall and ceiling are brought back to how they were in the 1830's.
This is where M&F entertain official guests - and large parties presumably.

The Garden room and private stairs
#3 Top - Havesalen = The Garden Room. Along with the Great Hall the second major representation room in the residence.
#14 Bottom - Trappe = The stairs to M&F's private rooms on the top floor. The lamps are supposed to depict bubbles in water rising towards the surface.

The private dining room and the Throne Chamber
#11 Top - Spisestuen = The private dining room. This is the room where M&F entertain private guests.
#5 Bottom left - The door from Trongemakket = The Throne Chamber opening into the dining room. - I believe that room is now used for reading, serving coffee and listening to music.
- Havetrappen = The garden stairs. Going into the garden behind the mansion, from the Tapestry Hall.

Private kitchen-A
Private kitchen-B
#12 - Køkken-alrum = Kitchen-Family room. - M&F's private kitchen and with four lively children, probably very much where most activities take place during daytime hours.

Butler's pantry
#4 - Anretterkøkken = Butler's pantry. The beautifully decorated ceiling has been brought back to it's original style.

And here is this issue of BB: BB06, 2017

I should have liked to have written about what Mary had been up to, but reading the articles, there sure ain't much meat on them bones!
 
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Mange tak! Lovely to see these pictures again; one can only imagine what goes on inside!
 
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Thank you so much
1 I would love to see their besrroms and Mary's closet!!!!!!
 
You are all welcome. :)

Alas, I doubt we will ever see more than a glimpse here and there from M&F's private rooms. Perhaps in the background of the odd family snapshot published and that's it.
 
Thank you, Muhler. All that work you did has been much enjoyed.
 
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