The many castles and manor houses of the nobility lie like gems in the most scenic of settings. Here every style of architectural history is represented; from the severity of the medieval fort, through Renaissance, Baroque, Rococo and Empire French to a merry mixture of them all. The impressive buildings provide an account of Denmark's history, its culture and its architecture and not least its family histories, since in many cases the estates have been passed on from generation to generation within the families for centuries.
The Royal Residences Several of the Danish castles are still used as residences by the Danish Royal Family. Situated in the middle of Copenhagen is Her Majesty Queen Margrethe II's winter residence, Amalienborg, with its four almost identical Rococo palaces surrounding the imposing castle courtyard. Two of the palaces are partially open to the public.
North Zealand is home to the beautifully located Fredensborg Palace, the summer residence of the royal couple. The palace is usually open for guided tours during high summer. Other royal residences today serve different purposes - housing public institutions, the Danish government and parliament, museums, etc.
Artists' retreats For centuries the Danish castles stood as residences and power bases for the royal family, nobility and a narrow elite. At the same time, they provided sanctuaries for great Danish artists, who were invited to take up residence and given a unique setting for their work. The writer Hans Christian Andersen and the composer Carl Nielsen were frequent guests at the Danish castles and manor houses.
Events and exhibitions 
A large number of Danish castles open their gates to stately grounds or grand halls displaying the finest collections of art or antiques. Indeed, many castles are now entirely given over to their status as museums. And one would be hard pressed to imagine a more atmospheric setting for concerts, exhibitions and cultural events than the many Danish castles and manor houses.
Open castles In earlier times the wrought-iron gates were locked and the great oak doors were closed to the public, however, today close to 60 castles and manor houses have opened their doors to visitors as members of the association Danish Castles & Manor Houses.