Christian VII's Palace

Christian VII's Palace is considered to be the most distinguished of the four palaces at Amalienborg. It is used for official purposes and to accommodate and entertain guests. Among other things, it is the venue of the traditional annual New Year's Levée and New Year's Banquet.

Palace history

Moltke's Palace, later renamed Christian VII's Palace, was commissioned by Lord High Steward A.G. Moltke and built from 1750-54 by the best craftsmen and artists of their day under the supervision of royal builder Niels Eigtved. The finished article was also of extraordinarily high quality. The Great Hall features woodcarvings ("boiserie") by le Clerc and stucco by Fossati and is one of the most distinguished Rococo rooms in Europe.

Eigtved died in 1754, a few months after the palace was handed over. The French architect N.H. Jardin took care of the few remaining bits and pieces and designed a banqueting hall in the new Louis XVI style. Like Eigtved's Great Hall, Jardin's banqueting hall is one of the finest pieces of architecture in Denmark.

Residence for Christian VII

After the Christiansborg Palace fire, the Danish royal family found itself temporarily homeless. Christian VII bought Moltke's Palace and had the royal architect C.F. Harsdorff turn it into his residence. To make room for the court staff, the floor in the entrance hall was raised and divided up into three offices. The single-storey intermediate building leading to the corner pavilions was also raised by one storey. The palace then became known as Christian VII's Palace.

After Christian VII's death in 1808, Frederik VI's court staff were quartered in the building and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs used part of it from 1852-85. Since 1885, the palace has been almost exclusively used to accommodate and entertain guests, the exceptions being short periods during which it has housed Crown Prince Frederik (IX) and Crown Princess Ingrid, and Queen Margrethe and Prince Henrik while their respective palaces were being refurbished. Between 1971-75, a small nursery and classroom were installed for the princes Frederik and Joachim.

Restoration

The Palace & Properties Agency began an exterior restoration of the palace in 1982 and totally replaced the worn-out sandstone facing. The Agency, supported by a number of private sponsors, also conducted a major refurbishment of the interior from 1993-96, during which the entrance hall was recreated and three doors were again installed in the middle ressaut facing the Castle Square.
In 1999 the restoration work was awarded a medal by the exclusive international preservation organisation Europa Nostra.

It is possible to visit Christian VII's Palace on guided tours. Read more about the possibilities to visit Christian VII's Palace here.