Christiansborg Slot, Copenhagen

Christiansborg Palace is the working heart of Denmark’s state, combining a palace with the country’s highest political institutions. The building before you belongs to a long succession of castles on this island, and the present palace was completed in 1928 in Neo-baroque style. Elias David Häusser designed the original palace, begun in 1733 as a grand baroque project commissioned by Christian VI.

Fire destroyed that palace in 1794, and another blaze consumed its successor in 1884. The palace now houses the Danish Parliament, the Prime Minister’s Office and the Supreme Court; royal areas include the Reception Rooms, the Chapel and the Stables. That combination gives Christiansborg an unusual role: it contains all three branches of Denmark’s government in a single building.

Look at the palace as a whole, then consider what lies beneath it: excavations reveal remains of Absalon’s Castle and Copenhagen Castle, and these underground ruins are open to the public. The Reception Rooms stage formal royal events such as banquets, state dinners, audiences and council-of-state sessions. What appears to be a single palace is therefore also a seat of government, a royal ceremonial setting and an archaeological site.