Editing Amalienborg (section)

==The four palaces==
[[File:Map of the Amalienborg Palace-en.png|thumb|250px|Map of Amalienborg ([[Frederik's Church]] is also shown)]]
According to Eigtved's master plans for Frederikstad and the Amalienborg Palaces, the four palaces surrounding the plaza were conceived of as town mansions for the families of chosen nobility. Their exteriors were identical, but interiors differed. The site on which the aristocrats could build was given to them free of charge, and they were further exempted from taxes and duties. The only conditions were that the palaces should comply exactly to the Frederikstad architectural specifications, and that they should be built within a specified time framework.

Building of the palaces on the western side of the square started in 1750. When Eigtved died in 1754 the two western palaces had been completed. The work on the other palaces was continued by Eigtved's colleague and rival, [[Lauritz de Thurah]] strictly according to Eigtved's plans. The palaces were completed in 1760.

The four palaces are:
* [[Christian VII of Denmark|Christian VII]]'s Palace, originally known as [[Moltke's Palace]]
* [[Christian VIII of Denmark|Christian VIII]]'s Palace, originally known as [[Levetzau's Palace]]
* [[Frederik VIII of Denmark|Frederik VIII]]'s Palace, originally known as [[Brockdorff's Palace]]
* [[Christian IX of Denmark|Christian IX]]'s Palace, originally known as [[Schack's Palace]]

Currently, only the palaces of Christian VII and Christian VIII are open to the public.

===Christian VII's Palace===
[[Image:Christian VII's Palæ, 2019 (01).jpg |thumb|Christian VII's Palace (''Moltke's Palace'')]]
Christian VII's Palace is also known as [[Moltke's Palace]], and was originally built for Lord High Steward [[Adam Gottlob Moltke]]. It is the southwestern palace, and has been since 1885 used to accommodate and entertain prominent guests, for receptions, and for ceremonial purposes.

Moltke's Palace was erected in 1750–54 by the best craftsmen and artists of their day under the supervision of Eigtved. It was the most expensive of the four palaces at the time it was built, and had the most extravagant interiors. Its Great Hall (''Riddersalen'') featured woodcarvings (''[[boiserie]]'') by [[Louis August le Clerc]], paintings by [[François Boucher]] and [[stucco]] by Giovanni Battista Fossati, and is acknowledged widely as perhaps the finest Danish Rococo interior.

The mansion formally opened on 30 March 1754, the King's thirtieth birthday. Due to Eigtved's death a few months later, final work such as the Banqueting Hall, was completed by [[Nicolas-Henri Jardin]].

Immediately after the Christiansborg Palace fire in February 1794 and two years after the death of the original owner, the royal family, headed by the King [[Christian VII of Denmark|Christian VII]], purchased the first of the four palaces to be sold to the royal family, and commissioned [[Caspar Frederik Harsdorff]] to turn it into a royal residence. They occupied the new residence December 1794.

After Christian VII's death in 1808, Frederick VI used the palace for his [[Royal Household]]. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs used parts of the palace from 1852 to 1885. For short periods of time in the intervening years the palace has housed various members of the royal family while restoration took place on their respective palaces. In 1971–1975 a small kindergarten was established at the palace, and later a schoolroom, for Crown Prince [[Frederik X|Frederik]] and Prince [[Prince Joachim of Denmark|Joachim]].

After 200 years the façade, decorated by German sculptor [[Johann Christoph Petzold]], was severely damaged, causing parts of Amalienborg Place to be closed to prevent injury. In 1982, exterior and interior restoration began that completed in early 1996, Copenhagen's year as [[European Capital of Culture]]. In 1999, [[Europa Nostra]], an international preservation organisation, acknowledged the restoration with by presenting a medal.

The palace is occasionally open to the general public for tours.

===Christian VIII's Palace===
[[Image:Christian VIII's Palæ, 2019 (01).jpg|thumb|Christian VIII's Palace (''Levetzau's Palace'')]]
Christian VIII's Palace, also known as Levetzau's Palace, is the northwestern palace and was originally built for [[Privy Councillor]] Count [[Christian Frederik Levetzau]] in 1750–60. Queen Margrethe II's grandson [[Prince Felix of Denmark|Count Felix]] currently lives in an apartment in the palace. [[Prince Joachim of Denmark|Prince Joachim]] and [[Princess Marie of Denmark|Princess Marie]], who reside permanently in France, have also had an apartment made available to them in the palace when they perform engagements in Denmark.<ref>{{cite web |title=Prins Nikolai har fået ny sambo: Far flytter ind |date=14 September 2019 |url=https://herognu.dk/prins-nikolai-har-faaet-ny-sambo-far-flytter-ind/ |publisher=Her & Nu |access-date=1 March 2022}}</ref>

After Eigtved's death in 1754, royal architect [[Lauritz de Thurah]] carried out supervision of the building's construction according to Eigtved's plans.

The palace was sold by the [[Fee tail|entailed]] estate of Restrup, which had been established in 1756 by Levertzau, the late owner. The family set one condition when they sold the building— that the Count's [[coat of arms]] should never be removed from the building. It can still be seen beside that of the monarch's.

The King's half-brother [[Hereditary Prince Frederick of Denmark and Norway|Frederik]] bought the palace in 1794, and painter and architect [[Nikolaj Abraham Abildgaard|Nikolai Abildgaard]] modernized the interiors in the new French [[Empire style]]. The palace was named Christian VIII's Palace after his son, [[Christian VIII of Denmark|Christian Frederik]], who grew up in the palace, took over the building in 1805 upon the death of his father, and would become king in 1839.

Christian VIII died in 1848, and the [[Queen Dowager]], [[Caroline Amalie of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Augustenburg|Caroline Amalie]], died in 1881. From 1885 the [[Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Denmark)|Ministry of Foreign Affairs]] used parts of the palace, but moved in 1898 when the palace became the residence of Crown Prince [[Christian X of Denmark|Christian (X)]] and Princess [[Alexandrine of Mecklenburg-Schwerin|Alexandrine]]. After the death of Christian X the Palace was placed at the disposal of [[Prince Knud of Denmark|Prince Knud]], the [[Heir Presumptive]].

The palace was the home of [[Frederik X|Crown Prince Frederik]] until his marriage in 2004. From 2018 to 2019, Queen Margrethe II's eldest grandchild [[Prince Nikolai of Denmark|Prince Nikolai]] lived in an apartment in the palace.

Today, there is little left of the remaining rococo interior; much of the interior reflects the changing taste and style of its residents over the years.

In the 1980s the palace was restored as residence for the Crown Prince, storage facilities for the Queen's Reference Library and a museum for the [[Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg|Royal House of Glücksborg]]. The museum features private royal apartments from 1863 to 1947 including original fittings and furnishings. Tours are sometimes held of the rooms on the piano nobile.

===Frederik VIII's Palace===
[[Image:Frederik V statue, Frederik VIII's Palæ, 2019 (01).jpg|thumb|Frederik VIII's Palace in Amalienborg (''[[Brockdorff's Palace]]'')]]
Frederik VIII's Palace, also known as [[Brockdorff's Palace]], is the northeastern palace. It has been the home of King [[Frederik X]] and [[Queen Mary of Denmark|Queen Mary]] since their marriage.

It was originally built for Count [[Joachim Brockdorff]] in the 1750s. Brockdorff died in 1763, and Lord High Steward Adam Gottlob Moltke acquired the palace. Moltke sold it two years later to King Frederick V.

From 1767 it housed the [[Royal Danish Military Academy]], also known as the Army Cadet Academy (''Landkadetakademi''). In 1788 naval cadets replaced the army cadets until the academy moved to another location in 1827.

The following year the palace was prepared to house King Christian VIII's son, [[Frederik VII of Denmark|Frederik VII]], who ascended the throne in 1848, and his bride, [[Vilhelmine Marie of Denmark|Princess Vilhelmine]]. Architect [[Jørgen Hansen Koch]] successfully and thoroughly refurbished the palace in French Empire style in 1827–28.

After the marriage was dissolved in 1837, various members of the royal family lived in the palace. In 1869, it became the home of [[Frederik VIII of Denmark|Frederik VIII]]. In 1934, it became the home of King [[Frederik IX of Denmark|Frederik IX]] and [[Ingrid of Sweden|Queen Ingrid]]. The latter lived there until her death in 2000. From 2006 to 2010 the palace underwent major renovation to accommodate the then Crown Prince couple.<ref>{{cite web| title=His Royal Highness The Crown Prince| url=http://kongehuset.dk/english/the-royal-house/Crown-Prince-Couple/hrh-the-crown-prince/hrh-the-crown-prince| publisher=The Danish Monarchy| url-status=dead| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141108062107/http://kongehuset.dk/english/the-royal-house/Crown-Prince-Couple/hrh-the-crown-prince/hrh-the-crown-prince| archive-date=2014-11-08}}</ref>

===Christian IX's Palace===
[[Image:Christian IX's Palæ, 2019 (01).jpg|thumb|Christian IX's Palace (''Schack's Palace'')]]
Christian IX's Palace is the southeastern palace, and is also known as Schack's Palace. It has been the home of Queen [[Margrethe II]] since 1967.

Building work was commenced in 1750 by Eigtved, and was supervised first by architect [[Christian Josef Zuber]] and later by [[Philip de Lange]].

It was originally commissioned by [[Privy council|Privy Councillor]] [[Severin Løvenskjold]], but in 1754 he had to give up due to economic difficulties. The project was taken over by Countess [[Anna Sophie Schack]] née Rantzau and her step-grandson [[Hans Schack, 4th Count of Schackenborg]]. A fire shortly after the change of ownership delayed completion by a couple of years.

On 7 January 1757 Hans Schack married Countess Ulrikke Auguste Vilhelmine Moltke, daughter of Adam Gottlob Moltke, and as his son-in-law had use of the best artists and craftsmen to complete the interiors.

In 1794, the palace was taken over from private residence by the [[Prince regent]], then [[Frederick VI of Denmark|Crown Prince Frederick]], and his wife, [[Marie Sophie of Hesse|Crown Princess Marie]]. He died in 1839, and she in 1852. The palace was used after her death by, among others, the [[Supreme Court (Denmark)|Supreme Court]] and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

It was later the home of [[Christian IX of Denmark|Christian IX]] until his death in 1906. The home remained untouched afterwards until 1948. In 1967, the palace was restored for the then successor to the throne, Princess Margrethe and her husband Prince [[Henrik, Prince Consort of Denmark|Henrik]]. She succeeded to the throne at the age of 31 as [[Margrethe II]] in 1972.