Det Kgl. Bibliotek – The Royal Danish Library (The Black Diamond)

Where Denmark’s memory meets the harbour

The Royal Danish Library on Slotsholmen is where centuries of Danish written heritage meet the bustle of central Copenhagen. Founded as the king’s private collection in the 17th century, it has grown into the national library of Denmark and the main academic library for the University of Copenhagen’s humanities, social sciences and theology. Behind its shelves lie legal deposit collections, rare manuscripts, maps, photographs and musical scores that collectively trace the country’s cultural and intellectual life. From its position on Søren Kierkegaards Plads, the library opens directly onto the harbour, so the first impression is of water, light and an unexpectedly calm rhythm of ferries and bikes gliding past. Step closer and you sense that this is not only a place to store books, but a cultural institution designed to be lived in: an address for exhibitions, concerts, research and quiet everyday study.

The Black Diamond’s striking architecture

Most visitors encounter the modern extension first, a faceted block of dark granite and glass nicknamed the Black Diamond. Completed in 1999, this addition leans out over the water, its polished surface mirroring the changeable northern sky and the ripples of Copenhagen Harbour. The slightly tilted cubes and sharp angles make the building feel sculptural from every side, especially when you view it from the quayside or from a harbour boat. Inside, a vast atrium slices through the building, connecting city and sea with a flood of daylight. Curving balconies, crossing walkways and sweeping escalators draw your eye upwards to study floors that seem to float in space. Glass walls reveal reading rooms and corridors while preserving a sense of quiet. Overhead, contemporary artworks such as a monumental painting on the ceiling add colour to the otherwise monochrome palette of stone, steel and glass.

Historic halls and treasured collections

Behind the Diamond, bridges link to the older 1906 library building, where you step into a more classical world. Here, high windows, wood panelling and long rows of desks define the historic reading rooms, including the Old Reading Room once reserved for scholars. The change in atmosphere is immediate: the echo of the atrium is replaced by soft page turns and the muted scratch of pens. Within the wider complex, the Royal Danish Library safeguards some of the country’s most important manuscripts and archives. These include the manuscript collection that grew from King Frederik III’s original library and later absorbed treasures like Tycho Brahe’s observation protocols and Icelandic sagas. The Søren Kierkegaard Archive preserves the philosopher’s original manuscripts, while the National Museum of Photography, housed in the same institution, holds tens of thousands of images spanning Danish and international photography since the 19th century.

A cultural stage of exhibitions, music and ideas

The library functions as a cultural centre as much as a research institution. Within the Black Diamond you find a dedicated exhibition area that regularly presents curated displays of rare books, documents, photography or themed cultural stories drawn from the collections. Temporary installations often use multimedia and design to bring archival material into the present, making the building feel more like a gallery than a traditional reading library. At the heart of this public role is Dronningesalen, the Queen’s Hall, an intimate concert and theatre space seating several hundred guests. Here, the calendar ranges from classical performances and literary talks to debates and festivals, often framed by the dramatic interior design. A small bookshop and a harbour‑facing café complete the cultural experience, inviting you to linger over publications, design objects and a view of boats sliding past the tall glass façade.

Everyday rhythms and quiet corners

On a typical day, the building hosts a mix of students, researchers, office workers and visitors drawn in from the waterfront promenade. Many come to use the open study areas and reading rooms, which range from silent spaces devoted to fragile materials to more relaxed zones where low conversation is acceptable. Free Wi‑Fi, computer stations and long opening hours make it an easy place to spend a full working day. Step outside on the harbour side and you can stroll along the quays, watching the sunlight move across the polished façade and the historic skyline opposite. Behind the older building lies the Royal Library Garden, a sheltered courtyard oasis shared with Christiansborg Palace. Here, flowerbeds, trees and a central fountain create one of the city centre’s calmest green spaces, ideal for a short pause between exhibitions, reading sessions or nearby sights.

Why the Royal Library belongs on your Copenhagen list

For visitors, the attraction lies in this layering of functions and moods. The Royal Danish Library is simultaneously a national institution, an architectural landmark, a waterside viewpoint and a place to sit quietly with a book. Admission to the public areas is free, and you can experience much simply by wandering: riding the escalators for changing views of the atrium, peeking into reading rooms through glass, exploring small exhibitions, then pausing over coffee with a harbour panorama. Whether you are fascinated by Nordic architecture, interested in Denmark’s literary heritage or simply looking for a serene indoor space in the city centre, Det Kgl. Bibliotek offers a dense concentration of experiences within a single, dramatic building complex on the edge of the water.