Koldinghus is today an interesting museum to visit but has earlier been a royal castle.

In Kolding in South Jutland, you find an old royal castle which was founded more than 700 years ago in 1268 by the King Christoffer I. Also the kings Christoffer III, Christian I and Christian III have built different parts of the castle later.

Koldinghus is close to two Danish heritage on the UNESCO Heritage list as the Viking Monuments in Jelling and Moravian Brethren in Christiansfeld.

 
Near the border between Denmark and Schleswig

In many hundred years, Koldinghus was near the border between the Kingdoms of Schleswig, and therefore the castle was often used by the Danish kings. One of the kings that have influenced the castle and how it looks was king Christian IV, but also several other Danish kings have had an interest in the old castle.

 
The oldest of Koldinghus is from the 1440s

The oldest surviving building is the north wing, and King Christoffer III built this in the 1440s. King Christian III added the south and east wings in the middle of the 16th century, and he also transformed the fortress into a royal residence.

The great King Christian IV, who build many of the big attractions you find in Copenhagen today, as the Rosenborg Castle, began in 1598 to change Koldinghus, and he added the massive tower, a Renaissance chapel and a big ballroom.

Koldinghus today functions as a museum, and here you can find furniture and paintings from the 16th century, but also crafts in beautiful silver and ceramics.

King Frederik IV transformed Koldinghus into a Baroque palace from 1715-1723, but in 1808 a fire destroyed the castle caused by Spanish soldiers. In more than 80 years the castle was a ruin.

The restoration first started in 1890, and after more than 100 years the latest phase was finished, as you see it today.