Royal Musings: Copenhagen – Roskilde – Amalienborg

I wasn’t going to let jet lag get the best of me on my first full day in Copenhagen, so I made sure to get a good night’s sleep. A dear Danish friend recommended that I go to Roskilde first to see the Domkirche, which includes the graves of the Danish sovereigns, and then head back to Copenhagen to visit Amalienborg.

Copenhagen’s central train station was only a few metro stops from my hotel.  I did not need to buy a ticket as the Copenhagen Card includes all public transit in the greater Copenhagen area.  I wanted to grab breakfast to take on the train.  I spotted McDonald’s, Starbucks, Dunkin’ Donuts, and 7-11 (there are so many 7-11s in Copenhagen – very popular apparently), but I wanted a Danish coffee shop.  I spotted Lagkagehuset, a bakery,  and headed there, where I bought a large chocolate bun and a vanilla latte.  I stopped in 7-11 for a banana.

It was about a 20-minute ride to Roskilde, followed by a nice walk down a pedestrian path to the cathedral.  I got to the cathedral a few minutes before it opened.   

In other words, do not touch this.

Queen Margrethe II (1353-1412)  She is buried behind the High Altar

https://roskildedomkirke.dk/english/

King Christian X and Queen Alexandrine’s graves are plain

The bells caught everyone’s attention

This is where Queen Margrethe II will be interred in St. Birgitta’s Chapel  The coffin will be unveiled when she dies.

This is a replica of Margrethe II’s casket

King Frederik IX and Queen Ingrid are buried outside the Cathedral.

Nearly all of Danish royal history is in this Lutheran Cathedral.   I stopped at a cafe for a cappuccino before heading back to the station for the train to Copenhagen, the next stop on my journey: Amalienborg.

The Amalienborg Palace complex comprises four palaces: Christian VII’s Palace, Christian VIII’s Palace, Frederik VIII’s Palace, and Christian IX’s Palace. 

The Christian VII’s Palace is the King’s representative palace..  Christian VIII’s palace is the residence of Princess Benedikte of Denmark and Prince Joachim and Princess Marie of Denmark (who currently reside in Washington, D.C.).  Queen Anne Marie of the Hellenes also has an apartment in this palace, which also houses the Royal House of Glücksburg museum and the King’s Library.   

King Frederik X and Queen Mary spend winters at the King Frederik VIII’s Palace.

Queen Margrethe II spends the winter at Christian IX’s Palace. 

After returning to the Central Station, I took the metro to Marmorkirken, where I encountered the Royal Guards returning from the Changing of the Guard.

This is Christian VIII Palace.  It is where the museum is located.  The exhibit includes a selection of rooms that focus on each monarch in the Glücksburg dynasty — from Christian IX to Margrethe II.  Most of the displays were behind glass.

This is Christian IX’s Palace.  Queen Margrethe II spends the winters here.

Queen Louise

King Christian IX

Christian X and Alexandrine

Queen Alexandrine’s fringe tiara

a throne no longer used

The King’s Library

You can buy replicas of Faberge eggs … disappointed to not find a good guidebook to the palace.and exhibition

Frederik VIII’s  Palace – the winter residence of King Frederik X and Queen Mary

Christian VII’s Palace.  you can see the Marmorkirken in the background

Neither the King nor Queen Margrethe were in their residences as no standards were flying from the flag poles

There is an arch to the right of Christian IX’s Palace, where you will find the Yellow Palace

King Frederik VI bought the palace in 1810 where visiting relatives could stay.  In 1837, he gifted the home to his wife’s nephew, Prince Christian of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg, who with his family moved into the mansion.  In 1865, two years after succeeding to the Danish throne,  Christian moved to Amalienborg.  Queen Alexandra and Empress Marie Feodorovna (Princess Dagmar) were born in the Yellow Palace.  The last royal resident of the Yellow Palace was Christian IX’s youngest son, Prince Valdemar, who died there on July 14, 1939.  The building is now the offices of the Lord Chamberlain

The other side of the fountains  that I saw the day before walking toward Nynhavn

a lovely dog who wanted to be photographed

newlyweds posing on the steps of the Marmorkirken – although they did not marry in the church

Slotholmens Canal  Walked across the bridge to see Christiansborg Palace

Christianborg Palace   This is the balcony where King Frederik X was proclaimed by the Prime Minister.

Difficult to get a full photo because the Palace is so wide

Time to return to the hotel, briefly, to drop off my shopping and put on a coat for the evening’s event!!!

 I stopped at Espresso House for a delicious, mouthwatering hot chocolate.  Did I want whipped cream and marshmallows?  Yes Please

Right by my hotel — a rainbow

Of course, I had to take photos of the Hans Christian Anderson statue by City Hall, located on Hans Christian Anderson Blvd,

And then it was time to cross Hans Christian Anderson Boulevard and enter a magical palace:  Tivoli Gardens to experience Halloween in Tivoli, which closed on November.   Christmas in Tivoli opens on November 14.

I had a super time.  Dinner in the Food Hall – as all the restaurants were full.  The Food Hall is outside Tivoli, so you get your hand stamped when you leave.  It takes several seconds to walk into the Food Hall, which is a bit overwhelming due to the number of choices.  I found a seat at Hallernes Smørrebrød, which specializes in open-faced sandwiches.  I chose a “Homemade chicken salad, bacon, and chervil” and an organic wheat beer.   Both were excellent.   

And then it was time to call on my inner child  .., and immerse myself into the Tivoli Magic.

I stopped to enjoy the different lights – and yes, I rode the carousel … I chose the reindeer (no red nose, however) and then the Demon, which, according to the Tivoli website,” Dæmonen is a floorless steel roller coaster at the Tivoli Gardens amusement park in Copenhagen, Denmark. Designed by Bolliger & Mabillard, it reaches a height of 28 metres, is 564.0 metres long, and reaches a maximum speed of 77 kilometres per hour.”

As the roller coaster turns you upside down (and your stomach inside out),  removing one’s glasses is required.  This meant the ride was an entire blur.  I giggled through the whole ride .. with a few wheees between the giggles!

I survived … no regrets.  Some of the ride lines were long, and I could not get into either of the Haunted Houses again due to long lines.

As I was about to leave Tivoli, I joked to one of the security guards, saying, “Once I step over this line, it is back to being an adult.”   I stepped over the line, and the security guard said, “You are still a child.”  

Made me smile.  

I am sure Tivoli is as lovely during the day—and I wish I could return to Copenhagen to experience a Tivoli Christmas.  

It was time to head back to the hotel, take a shower, and take Tylenol PM as a good night’s sleep was needed.  It is my way of ignoring jet lag.  

Before getting the covers and turning off the light, I checked the Pacer app on my phone.  I walked more than 23,000 steps.  

I bought this book in the Amalienborg Palace shop:

It is not available on Amazon, but it is available on Amazon UK.

Rosenborg Palace, Bernstorff, Christiansborg Palace … and there could be another delicious hot chocolate!!