Marienlyst Palace
A royal pleasure palace by the Sound
Marienlyst Palace is perched high above Øresund in Elsinore, surrounded by historic gardens. For more than 400 years, the palace has been shaped by kings and queens, architects, artists, and garden designers – and by changing notions of the good life.
From Lundehave to Marienlyst
The story begins in 1587–88, when Frederik II had Lundehave built as a royal pleasure house north of Kronborg Castle.
Where Kronborg was a royal castle and fortress, Lundehave was a place for recreation, residence, and nature experiences. Here, the king could retreat from the more formal life at Kronborg and enjoy the garden and the view over Øresund.
The original Renaissance house still exists as the core of the palace we know today.
In the mid-18th century, the palace was extensively rebuilt and expanded by the French-born architect Nicolas-Henri Jardin, who gave the building its elegant expression and at the same time created a new garden closely connected to the palace.
After Frederik V's death, the palace was handed over to his widow, Queen Juliane Marie, and was named Marienlyst after her.
A palace and a garden created together
At Marienlyst, the story of the palace and the gardens is inextricably linked.
Throughout the centuries, the gardens have been altered in line with new ideals for art, landscape, and nature. There has been a Renaissance garden, a geometric parterre garden, and a romantic landscape garden, and several of Denmark's significant architects and garden designers have left their mark on the place.
In the early 20th century, landscape architect G.N. Brandt reinterpreted parts of the historic garden complex, inspired by Jardin's 18th-century garden.
Marienlyst therefore tells not only the story of one palace and one garden. Through the site, one can follow several centuries of changing notions of nature, garden art, and humanity's attempts to create its own paradise.
This is the story unfolded in the exhibition Paradise for All Times.
Read more about the exhibition Paradise for All Times
Royal rooms and historic interiors
Inside, Marienlyst houses a number of unusually well-preserved historic interiors.
On the upper floors of the palace are the King's Chambers and the King's Hall, where the decorations, architecture, and the view over Øresund still convey a sense of the palace's life as a royal pleasure retreat.
Here you will find works and decorations by some of the significant artists and decorators of the 18th century, including C.G. Pilo and J.C. Lillie.
The King's Chambers can be experienced through selected guided tours, events, and special experiences.
See current guided tours and experiences
A palace with many lives
Marienlyst has had many different functions throughout its history.
From a royal pleasure retreat, the palace was used as a spa, residence, and later a museum. Helsingør Municipality took over the palace in 1851, and both the palace and garden are now listed as a significant part of Danish cultural heritage.
After many years of work to secure and restore Marienlyst, the palace is now open again and ready for a new chapter.
The story of Marienlyst therefore does not end with the past.
It continues in the life that is once again unfolding at the palace today.
Read about Marienlyst today – a small palace with big visions