{{Short description| Danish royal family's spring and autumn residence}} {{Distinguish|Frederiksberg Palace|Frederiksborg Castle}} {{Infobox building |name = Fredensborg Palace |image_size = 250px |image = Fredensborg Slot 124.JPG |caption = Fredensborg Palace and its courtyard |native_name = ''Fredensborg Slot'' |native_name_lang = da |location_town = [[Fredensborg]] |location_country = [[Denmark]] |coordinates = {{coord|55|58|57|N|12|23|43|E|display=inline}} |pushpin_map = | pushpin_label =Fredensborg Palace |map_caption = |building_type = Palace |architect = [[Johan Cornelius Krieger (architect)|Johan Cornelius Krieger]], [[Lauritz de Thurah]], [[Nicolai Eigtved]] |client = |engineer = |construction_start_date = 1720 |completion_date = 1753 |demolished_date = |cost = |structural_system = |architectural_style = [[Baroque]], [[Dutch Baroque]], [[Rococo]] }}
'''Fredensborg Palace''' ({{langx|da|Fredensborg Slot}}; {{IPA|da|ˈfʁeˀðn̩sˌpɒˀ ˈslʌt|pron}}) is a [[palace]] located on the eastern shore of [[Lake Esrum]] ([[Danish language|Danish]], ''Esrum Sø'') in [[Fredensborg]] on the island of [[Zealand (Denmark)|Zealand]] (''Sjælland'') in [[Denmark]]. It is the [[Danish royal family]]’s spring and autumn residence, and is often the site of important state visits and events in the royal family. It is the most used of the royal family’s residences.
== History == [[File:Fredensborg Slot 1728.jpg|thumb|200px|left|Fredensborg in 1728]] At the end of the [[Great Northern War]] King [[Frederick IV of Denmark|Frederick IV]] asked architect [[Johan Cornelius Krieger (architect)|Johan Cornelius Krieger]], royal gardener to the court at [[Rosenborg Castle]], to build him a small pleasure palace on the site of a farmyard named Østrup. Krieger built the French-inspired [[baroque]] palace 1720–1726, and the King himself took an active part in the planning of the building and grounds, and followed construction closely. The man responsible for the actual construction was General Building Master [[Johan Conrad Ernst]], who was also responsible for the construction of [[Frederiksberg Palace]].<ref name=ses />
While the building was still under construction [[Denmark–Norway]] and [[Sweden]] negotiated a peace treaty, which was signed on 3 July 1720, on the site of the unfinished palace. The treaty determined the fate of [[Skåne]], which since that time has been a part of Sweden, and ended Denmark’s eleven-year participation in the Great Northern War.<ref name=ses>[https://web.archive.org/web/20090216101321/http://www.ses.dk/161000c Fredensborg Palace and Palace Gardens] - Agency for Palaces & Cultural Properties (ses.dk).</ref> To commemorate the signing of the peace accord the palace was named ''Fredens Borg'' (<small>lit.</small> "Peace's Castle").
The palace complex consisted of a small, almost square, {{frac|1|1|2}}-storey-high main palace with dome and lanterns. It is positioned exactly at the centre of what is known as a "hunting star" ([[Danish language|Danish]], ''jagtstjerne''), a number of straight intersecting paths in a game hunting reserve. During a hunt it was permissible to shoot freely straight down the long paths, which radiated out from the centre. The dome hall measured 15 x {{Convert|15|m|ft|abbr=on}}, and had a height of {{Convert|27|m|ft|abbr=on}}. The sumptuous room featured stucco by [[C.E. Brenno]] and a [[plafond]] by [[Hendrick Krock]].
In front of the main building was placed an octagonal courtyard encircled by the single-[[storey]] servants' wings, called Red Wing. It is the only red building at Fredensborg Palace, and it has open half-timbers under a red tile roof.
East of the octagon were the riding ring and the long [[stable]]s building.
Further to the east and adjacent to the main palace was an Orangery and the one-storey building called Margrave House. The Orangery, which was equipped with huge glasshouse windows, was connected to the main building by a small secret passage, so that the royal family and the courtiers could walk to the chapel without getting their feet wet.
The palace chapel stood in the middle of the two buildings, and has an exaggerated copper spire, a [[pilaster]]-decorated façade facing the riding ring, and a heavily carved [[gable]] featuring a bust of Frederik IV in relief carved by [[Didrick Gercken]].
On the other side of the church was the Courtiers Wing ("''Kavalerfløj''"), residences for the court's clerks and members of the [[royal household]]. This section of the palace was built from 1724 to 1726, and introduces elements of the [[Dutch Baroque architecture|Dutch Baroque]] style and Rococo.
The palace was extended throughout the early 18th century; however, the main structure of the palace has remained unchanged since its inauguration on 11 October 1722, the King's 51st birthday.<ref name=ses />
Krieger completed his work on the palace with the erection of the “new Court Chancery building” in 1731. The black-glazed tile, half-hipped roof building is now known as The Chancellery House. It butted up to the riding-ring on the southern edge.
A major alteration of Krieger's original building was made in 1741–1744 when [[Lauritz de Thurah]], the King's favorite architect, elevated the roof of the palace's main building. The slanted roof was replaced by a flat one, and a characteristically de Thurah sandstone [[balustrade]] was erected. In 1751 he also transformed the Orangery into a residential building for the ladies-in-waiting.
In 1753 [[Nicolai Eigtved]] extended the palace by adding four symmetrically positioned corner pavilions with copper pyramid-shaped roofs to the main building.
== Royal residence == In the 19th century, [[King Christian IX of Denmark|King Christian IX]] and [[Louise of Hesse-Kassel|Queen Louise]] (who counted [[Alexandra of Denmark|Queen Alexandra]] of the United Kingdom, [[King George I of Greece]] and [[Dagmar of Denmark (Maria Feodorovna)|Empress Maria Feodorovna of Russia]] amongst their children) used Fredensborg to host annual family reunions. There, their grandchildren, including the future [[Tsar Nicholas II of Russia]] and Kings [[George V of the United Kingdom]], [[Haakon VII of Norway]], [[Constantine I of Greece]], and [[Queen Maud of Norway]], would play games in the park{{Citation needed|reason=Reliable source needed for the whole sentence|date=December 2019}}.
[[Margrethe II|Queen Margrethe]] uses Fredensborg as a spring and autumn residence, and it is the usual venue for her birthday celebrations every April. The Queen's younger sister, Princess Benedikte, married HH Prince Richard of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg at the Chapel of Fredensborg Palace on 3 February 1968.{{Citation needed|reason=Reliable source needed for the whole sentence|date=December 2019}}
Until her death, the late Queen Mother, Queen [[Ingrid of Sweden|Ingrid]] used the Chancellery House at Fredensborg as her private residence. The [[Chancellery House]] is now the summer residence of [[Frederik X]] and [[Queen Mary of Denmark|Queen Mary]].<ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-05-08|title=Chancellery House|url=https://www.kongehuset.dk/chancellery-house|access-date=2021-10-05|website=Kongehuset|language=da|archive-date=2021-10-05|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211005114042/https://www.kongehuset.dk/chancellery-house|url-status=dead}}</ref>
== The park and gardens == The palace gardens are among Denmark's largest historical gardens, and are Denmark's finest example of a [[Baroque garden]]. These too were designed by Krieger, and were extended and altered during the 18th century.<ref name=ses /> The long, straight avenues which extend from the castle in a star-shaped pattern were recreated in the 1970s to 1990s. Between these avenues lies large wooded areas with winding paths. Most of the statues in the gardens were sculptured by [[Johannes Wiedewelt]].<ref name=kongehuset>[http://kongehuset.dk/english/palaces/fredensborg-palace Fredensborg Palace] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130128200946/http://kongehuset.dk/english/palaces/fredensborg-palace |date=2013-01-28 }} - The Danish Monarchy website (kongehuset.dk). Retrieved 29 January 2011.</ref>
Of special interest is the "Valley of the Norsemen" ({{langx|da|Nordmandsdalen}}) with approximately 70 sculptures of [[Norway|Norwegian]] and [[Faroese people|Faroese]] farmers and fishermen, originally carved by J.G. Grund.<ref name=kongehuset /> The garden is open all year round.
The area of the gardens closest to the palace is reserved for the royal family, but is usually open to the public in July.<ref>[http://www.slke.dk/eng/palaces-and-gardens/fredensborg-palace/ Welcome to Fredensborg Palace and Palace Gardens] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131026012356/http://www.slke.dk/eng/palaces-and-gardens/fredensborg-palace/ |date=2013-10-26 }} - Agency for Palaces and Cultural Properties (slke.dk).</ref> Here are the kitchen gardens, which supply fresh vegetables for the household, and a modern [[orangery]], which was opened in 1995.
In 2021, after extensive restorations and redesign of the gardens, the Fredensborg Palace Garden was awarded the prestigious [[European Union Prize for Cultural Heritage]] by the international cultural heritage association, [[Europa Nostra|Europa Nostra Award]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Fredensborg Castle Gardens achieves international honors|url=https://danishclub.dk/en/p/article/fredensborg-slotshave-opnar-international-haeder|access-date=2021-06-10|website=danishclub.dk}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-05-27|title=Fredensborg Palace Garden presented with prestigious award|url=https://royalcentral.co.uk/europe/denmark/fredensborg-palace-garden-presented-with-prestigious-award-160705/|access-date=2021-06-10|website=Royal Central|language=en-GB}}</ref> The jury noted that the Garden was an "exemplary redesign (...) and the combination of public and private funding for a public garden is a positive example for other similar heritage gardens".<ref>{{Cite web|title=Fredensborg Palace Garden|url=https://www.europeanheritageawards.eu/winners/fredensborg-palace-garden/|access-date=2021-06-10|website=European Heritage Awards / Europa Nostra Awards|language=en-GB}}</ref>
<gallery widths="200px"> Image:FredenborgCastleFront.jpg|A soldier marching in front of the palace Image:Fredensborg Palace from the garden.jpg|A view of the palace from the garden Image:Nordmandsdalen 23-08-05 1.jpg|Sculptures in the ''Valley of the Norsemen'' </gallery>
==Surrounding forests== Two of the forests in the surrounding area, [[Gribskov]] and [[Store Dyrehave]], were developed in the 1680s under [[Christian V of Denmark|King Christian V]] for [[par force hunting]] with a mathematically designed system of access roads. They have now been included in the [[UNESCO World Heritage List]] under [[Par force hunting landscape in North Zealand]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://whc.unesco.org/en/statesparties/dk|title=Denmark: Properties inscribed on the World Heritage List (8)|publisher=UNESCO|access-date=19 July 2015 }}</ref>
==See also== * [[Johann Gottfried Grund]]
==Namesakes== *[[Fort Fredensborg]] *[[Fredensborg (slave ship)]]
==See also==
* [[List of Baroque residences]] * [[List of castles and palaces in Denmark]] * [[Tourism in Denmark]]
== References == {{Reflist}} * "Royal Residences for 1000 years", Niels Peter Stilling (2003), Politiken Books.
== External links == {{Commons category|Fredensborg Slot}} * {{Official website|http://kongehuset.dk/english/palaces/fredensborg-palace/fredensborg-palace}} - From the Danish Monarchy website * Fredensborg Palace | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YMwL90pPHbA on YouTube
{{Royal palaces in Denmark}} {{Denmark castles and manor houses}} {{Authority control}}
[[Category:Palaces in Northern Zealand]] [[Category:Royal residences in Denmark]] [[Category:Houses in Fredensborg Municipality]] [[Category:Houses completed in 1726]] [[Category:Baroque palaces in Denmark]] [[Category:Listed buildings and structures in Fredensborg Municipality]] [[Category:Fredensborg Municipality]] [[Category:1726 establishments in Denmark]] [[Category:Christian IX of Denmark]]