Amalienborg Palace

You are at the centre of Amalienborg, the official residence of the Danish monarchy. Around you, four almost identical palaces frame an octagonal square. Their architect was Nicolai Eigtved, and they were built between 1750 and 1760 in the Rococo style.

1A district to celebrate a dynasty

Amalienborg was the centrepiece of Frederiksstaden, the new district that Frederik V had laid out to celebrate three hundred years of the House of Oldenburg on the throne. The four palaces were not meant for the king: they were built for four families of the high nobility.

Everything changed in 1794. The Christiansborg fire left the royal family homeless, and the king bought the palaces. They have been the royal home ever since. Today they bear the names of kings: Christian VII, Christian VIII, Frederik VIII and Christian IX.

If the flag is flying above the palace, the monarch is in Copenhagen.

2The king on horseback

In the centre, Frederik V rides dressed as a Roman emperor. The statue is the work of the French sculptor Jacques Saly, who laboured over it for years; it was unveiled in 1771 and is considered one of the finest equestrian statues of its century.

Look west: Frederiksgade links the palace to the dome of the Marble Church, your next stop. To the east, across the harbour, the Opera House closes the same axis.

3What to look out for

• The Royal Life Guards in their bearskin hats.
• The statue of Frederik V, at the exact centre of the square.
• The axis linking the Marble Church, the palace and the Opera House.