The King’s Garden — sometimes known as Rosenborg Castle Gardens — was designed in the early 1600s, during the reign of popular Danish King Christian IV. It was created as a private garden for King Christian and adjoins Rosenborg Castle. It’s the oldest Royal Garden in Denmark and is a popular green space in Copenhagen, with about 2.5 million visitors a year most obviously visiting in the summer.
As you might expect, the garden has undergone a number of changes over the years, but its overall design is mostly preserved. Within the park you’ll find a large number of sculptures, including the most famous one of beloved Danish novelist, Hans Christian Andersen.
Rosenborg Castle Gardens – Hans Christian Andersen statue
The oldest sculpture in the garden is ‘The Horse and the Lion’, commissioned by King Christian IV from Peter Husum in 1617 and completed in 1625. It’s a copy of an antique Roman marble sculpture; note that the lion has a humanoid face. There are many other sculptures in the garden, a sampling shown below.
Rosenborg Castle Gardens – The Horse and the Lion
A beautiful rose-garden is part of the King’s Garden, with a statue featuring Queen Caroline Amalie. She was the second spouse of Danish King Christian VIII (1839 – 1848). The rose garden is spacious and even though we visited towards the end of summer, there were still a number of different types of roses in bloom.
Rosenborg Castle Rose Garden
The formal gardens are very pleasant to explore on foot. It’s nicely tended and a pleasant break from the brick and concrete of Copenhagen. In midsummer, there are puppet shows for children. During the Copenhagen Jazz Festival several bands play in the garden. The park also plays host to temporary art exhibitions and concerts throughout the summer.
An enjoyable place to explore on a nice day!
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