Vinayak Hegde

I had watched the changing of the guard at Stockholm and loved it. So when I heard about the same at Copenhagen, I wanted to see it. The changing of the guard in Amalienborg Palace, Copenhagen takes place every day at noon regardless of the weather in Copenhagen. The changing of the guards was a much smaller event as compared to the one in Stockholm.

The soldiers wear distinctive uniforms consisting of a dark blue jacket, blue trousers and the “Bear” – the huge headgear. The bear skin garment is dreaded by most soldiers and it is not uncommon for soldiers to faint during long patrolling periods. The typical shift is is two hours but only the shift change at noon is as ceremonious. The uniforms worn by the Royal Guard date back to the 18th Century handed down from generation to generation by guards. The only new piece of equipment is the German-made rifles.

The Amalienborg Palace is one of the best examples of Rococo style of Architecture in Europe. Ironically the Palace was the home to the nobility but the Royal family moved into the Palace when the original ChristianBorg Palace burned down. The Royal family did not want to pay for the palace so the 4 noble families that lived there were given a tax holiday for 40 years in lieu of payment for their houses. The Marble church or Frederik’s Church is adjacent to the Amalienborg Palace though it is not part of the Palace complex.

The complete set on Flickr

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