The King's Garden (Kongens Have)

A Royal Vision Realized in Renaissance Splendor

The King's Garden emerged from the ambitious vision of King Christian IV in 1606, when Denmark's great Renaissance monarch commissioned a pleasure garden to surround his new summer residence, Rosenborg Castle. Originally designed in the formal French Renaissance style with symmetrical layouts and ornamental flowerbeds, the garden was compared to the celebrated Tuileries in Paris. This was a private royal domain, reserved exclusively for the king, his court, and the elite of 17th-century Copenhagen. The garden served not merely as a place of aesthetic beauty but as a working landscape, supplying fresh fruits, vegetables, and flowers for the royal household.

Transformation Through Baroque Elegance and Public Opening

As fashions evolved, so did the garden's design. By the 1660s, the landscape underwent a dramatic redesign in the Baroque style, introducing an intricate garden maze, long tree-lined avenues, and an octagonal pavilion at its center. The iconic Knight's Path (Kavalergangen) and Lady's Path (Damegangen) were established as diagonal avenues that remain defining features today. However, by the early 18th century, the Danish royal family shifted their residence to other palaces, and the garden's fate changed forever. Around 1770, the gates opened to the public, transforming a private royal retreat into a cherished civic space that has welcomed Copenhageners and visitors for nearly 250 years.

Horticultural Masterpiece and Living Heritage

Today, the King's Garden encompasses 12 hectares of meticulously maintained landscapes that balance intimate formal gardens with expansive greenswards. The garden is renowned for Northern Europe's longest herbaceous border—a spectacular 240-meter mixed border inspired by English flower gardens, which displays stunning blooms from early spring through autumn. The Hercules Pavilion, a 17th-century structure refurbished as a café and cultural venue, anchors the garden's social life and has served countless roles throughout its history, from hermitage to concert venue. In 2001, the Krumspringet—a contemporary Renaissance-style garden featuring roses, espaliers, and a pavilion—was completed as a modern interpretation of the historical maze, honoring the garden's layered past while celebrating its present.

Rosenborg Castle: Jewel Within the Garden

At the heart of the King's Garden stands Rosenborg Castle, a fairy-tale Renaissance palace that has evolved from royal residence to national treasure. The castle now functions as a museum housing 400 years of Danish royal splendor, including the nation's Crown Jewels and Royal Regalia displayed in a vault beneath the building. The castle's interiors showcase royal art treasures and artifacts spanning centuries of Danish monarchy. Visitors can explore the castle's rooms while enjoying views across the garden's formal parterre gardens and expansive lawns, creating an immersive experience that connects architecture, history, and landscape.

A Living Chapter of Copenhagen's Modern Life

The King's Garden has become far more than a historical monument—it is a vibrant public space where approximately 2.5 to 3 million people annually experience Copenhagen like locals. On any given day, families picnic on the lawns, students study beneath ancient trees, artists sketch the pavilions, and couples stroll the tree-lined avenues. Children play in shaded playgrounds while art lovers admire sculptures scattered throughout the grounds. The garden hosts cultural events, outdoor festivals, and celebrations that animate the space with contemporary life. This seamless integration of royal heritage and everyday urban activity makes the King's Garden uniquely reflective of Copenhagen's character—a city that honors its past while embracing the present.

Seasonal Beauty and Timeless Design

The garden's design retains much of its original structure despite centuries of evolution, with restoration efforts since the 1960s carefully reintroducing lost Renaissance elements. The Long Canal (Den Lange Kanal) runs through the garden, providing a sense of calm reflection that contrasts with the formal parterre gardens near the castle. Spring brings a spectacular display of crocuses across the greensward, while summer transforms the space into a lush oasis of green lawns and blooming flowerbeds. The tree-lined avenues provide natural corridors of shade and beauty throughout the year, making the garden an inviting destination in every season.