The King’s Garden (Kongens Have), Copenhagen

Royal grounds rooted in 17th‑century ambition

Created in 1606 for King Christian IV, the King’s Garden began life as a private Renaissance pleasure ground just outside Copenhagen’s old ramparts, designed to frame his new summer residence, Rosenborg Castle. At first, the garden doubled as working land, supplying fruit, vegetables and flowers to the royal household while impressing guests with geometric parterres and carefully clipped hedges. Over time, fashions shifted toward Baroque formality; avenues were extended, a maze appeared, and pavilions gave the elite sheltered spots to promenade. By the 18th century the court had largely moved on to other residences and, in a quiet revolution, the gates opened to ordinary Copenhageners. What had once been an exclusive domain slowly evolved into a civic park, but its royal bones remained: long axial paths, strategic vistas and the castle’s turrets anchoring the skyline.

Historic layout with living green “rooms”

Walk into the garden today and that historic framework is still easy to read. In front of Rosenborg Castle, an ornate parterre unfolds like a floral carpet, its low hedges, seasonal planting and crisp lines echoing 17th‑century design. Beyond it, broad lawns roll out under mature trees, with crocuses and other bulbs turning the grass into a pastel quilt in early spring. Along one side runs a famously long herbaceous border, often described as among Northern Europe’s longest, stretching for hundreds of metres in layered colour from spring to late autumn. Elsewhere, the Krumspringet rose garden reinterprets a vanished maze with looping paths, espaliered roses and a central pavilion, creating an intimate “secret garden” feeling even in the busy city centre.

Tree-lined avenues, statues and pavilions

The garden’s structure is defined by two diagonal promenades known as the Knight’s Path and the Lady’s Path, shaded by regimented rows of trees. Where they cross, the formality of the layout becomes clear: this is a garden designed to choreograph movement and views, guiding you toward the castle towers and open lawns. Scattered through the greenery are sculptures and monuments that add narrative to the landscape, from classical figures to more modern works. The Hercules Pavilion, with its neoclassical façade and statue of the mythic hero, hints at centuries of repurposing—from royal hermitage to alehouse, residence and now café space—embodying how the garden has adapted without losing its historic character.

Everyday Copenhagen life among royal stories

Despite its aristocratic origins, the King’s Garden now feels thoroughly democratic. On sunny days, families spread blankets on the grass, students read under the trees and office workers slip out for lunch on the lawns. A well-equipped playground tucked among the trees makes this a natural stop for children, while quieter corners along the canal and in the rose garden invite slower, more reflective wandering. Seasonal rhythms give the park different personalities throughout the year. Spring brings blossom and bulbs, summer means dense foliage and long light-filled evenings, and autumn paints the avenues in rich golds and russets. Even in winter, the interplay between bare branches, castle stonework and clipped hedges has a stark beauty that rewards a stroll.

Rosenborg Castle as the garden’s crown jewel

Rising from the centre of the park, Rosenborg Castle remains the focal point of almost every view. Its slender towers and copper roofs provide the fairy-tale backdrop that makes the King’s Garden particularly photogenic. Inside, the castle houses royal collections and the Danish Crown Jewels, but even without stepping across the moat you sense the centuries of ceremony, intrigue and everyday royal life these grounds have seen. For visitors, that blend of story and scenery is the garden’s greatest appeal. You can trace historical layers in the layout, appreciate horticultural craft in the borders and parterres, and at the same time enjoy the simple pleasure of sitting in the grass in the middle of Copenhagen, with a royal residence just beyond the trees.