Visit the Koldinghus Castle in Kolding, Denmark

On the long, spring holiday weekends in Denmark, we like to go camping in new places to visit different towns and natural places in Denmark. One such trip led us to spending one day in Kolding, Denmark to see the Koldinghus Castle.

To be quite honest, the two times I had been to Kolding before had only been to the Kolding storcenter, since this was the half-way point between my mother-in-law’s house in the south and our house in central Denmark. We enjoyed shopping at that mall and getting a bite to eat before passing off or collecting the kids from a visit with their farmor (grandma).

This post is sponsored by Koldinghus. We want to thank them for access to the Koldinghus Castle. All thoughts and comments are my own. This post may contain affiliate links. Thanks for supporting My New Danish Life.

Now, we really wanted to find out what we could see and do in Kolding, Denmark for just one day! Here is more about our time at the Koldinghus (Slot) Castle.

Parking at Koldinghus

There are many free and paid options for parking in Kolding. In fact, if you are planning to see the Koldinghus Castle, you can easily find parking next to the castle. This is a paid lot.

Since we have a hybrid, our hope was to find a parking lot with a car charger. Luckily for us, we found a Clever Charging Station that was 750 meters (half a mile) south of the Koldinghus Castle that we were able to use during our time in the castle. This parking lot only allowed people to park there for up to 3 hours, but we felt that would give us plenty of time to see the castle.

A View of Koldinghus Castle

Our walk up the hill to the Koldinghus Castle was one filled with excitement. It had been a long time since we had been in a castle, and this one was well-known for being not only Denmark’s first Renaissance castle, but also Jutland’s (Jylland’s) last royal castle. It was also on a hill, so I couldn’t help but get that Ed Sheeran song “Castle on the Hill” stuck in my head during the walk up!

(Due to Covid-19 restrictions, some areas of Koldinghus were closed during our visit. Check the bottom of this post to get more information when planning your visit!)

Koldinghus Castle Entrance

At the entrance to the castle, we put on our facemasks and showed our corona passes. Since we traveled there in 2021, it was still a time for corona restrictions in Denmark. No problem. If you have large bags with you, you can pay to have them stored at the ticket counter when you enter the castle. This can be helpful for those of you touring Denmark by bicycle or on foot.

The entrance to the castle where we got our tickets was very cool. It was dark and spooky with a video playing on an entire wall of the castle. It told of the castle dating back to the 1200s, which was pretty cool. Though much of the original castle wasn’t there anymore, there were some parts that dated back to the 1400s. However, much of the castle had been rebuilt after a devastating fire in the early 1800s.

Koldinghus Courtyard

There is something quite special about being in the courtyard of a castle. It is amazing to think what might have been in that very spot hundreds of years ago. Today, you can see a beautiful fountain, and It is a great place to take some nice photos.

Accessibility of the Koldinghus

As you enter the Koldinghus (slot) castle, it is hard not to notice the beautiful brick walls. However, it is almost as artistically pleasing to see how the modern walkways and staircases complement the old design of the place. You can take the elevator or the stairs when at the castle, but there are some places that are only able to explore buy stairs. This wouldn’t be the best place for a stroller, but they are allowed. The castle is also wheelchair friendly, as well.

Are you looking for more places nearby for children? Try the WOW Park Treehouse Park in Billund, Denmark!

Touring the Koldinghus with Kids

I don’t know about your kids, but my kids get a little bit restless when we are in museums if there isn’t much to entertain them. I know that stairs might be a bother for some people, but my boys saw it as one of the coolest things ever. They wanted to “climb” all the way to the top of the castle. There was also an area that played a video, which the boys enjoyed.

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Kongernes Samling at Koldinghus (The Royal Danish Collection)

Perhaps the biggest reason why people visit the Koldinghus Castle is to see the Kongernes Samling or the Royal Collection. Koldinghus is one of three castles that holds different exhibits of the royal family. They are always changing what they have to offer, so it is definitely a great place to revisit if you are interested in the Danish royal family.

There are many great paintings, clothes, weapons, and more within the castle. 

I, personally, loved looking at the clothing and tapestries from the royal family. It is so amazing how talented people were with fabric in those days. If you learning more about traditional costumes interests you, you can visit the Royal Sewing Room where they actually make clothes for the museum.

King Christian III’s Chapel at Koldinghus

One of the prettiest places in the Koldinghus Castle has to be Christian III’s Chapel. I loved all of the lights hanging from the ceiling in both the main part to the chapel and upper part next to the film area about the restoration of the Koldinghus. Again, this is a great example of how modern design can mix quite artistically with the old bricks of the castle. The lights also gave the space a very “Hogwarts”-type of feeling to it. Very magical.

Temporary Exhibits

The Queen’s Embroidery

We were very excited to see the temporary exhibit that was all about the talents of Denmark’s current Queen Margrethe II. On display were nearly 100 of the Queen’s private creations done with embroidery. There were pillows, purses and even advent calendars for her grandchildren. Some of these pieces were very personal, and it was nice to be included in such an intimate part of the Queen’s life. She is also quite the talented lady!

Christian V: King, Warrior and the Anointed of God

This was another very interesting temporary exhibit with artifacts from the second half of the 1600s, when Koldinghus was a residence. King Christian III and Queen Dorothea changed Koldinghus from a fortification into a residence in the mid 1500s. After that, many lines of Danish Kings and Queens lived there are continued to expand the castle.

King Christian V and Queen Charlotte Amalie were two such royals who lived in the castle, and we were able to learn more about them from actors in the castle. An actress, playing Queen Charlotte Amalie, told us about life in the castle from the Queen Charlotte Amalie’s perspective.

The boys were shocked hearing her story of losing children, but we were all a bit entertained when she asked my oldest son (11 years old) if he had found himself a proper wife. Nothing brings history more alive than an uncomfortable and freaked-out tween!

Entertain children of all sizes at the Legoland Amusement Park in Billund, Denmark!

Giant’s Tower and Observation Deck

One very exciting place at Koldinghus was the Giant’s Tower! Because of corona restrictions, we had to wait for 3 minutes before we could enter the top set of stairs to the tower, as a way to regulate the number of people on the top at a time.

As most towers, this had quite a few stairs to climb to the top, but we were all very happy to have made the climb. Once at the top, there was a door that opened to a roof platform. Here, we had a great view of the castle lake, the town of Kolding and the Kolding Fjord.

Castle Shop and Madkælderen Restaurant and Café

Before you end your visit to the Koldinghus (Slot) Castle, you might want to check out two other places that the museum had to offer. One was the castle shop, which was actually located at the entrance to the museum near the ticket counter. This is probably the first thing you see, but it is also worth a visit at the end of your trip, in case there is something you would like to purchase to help you remember your trip. The items in this shop are very fancy and could be a great place to buy a holiday or birthday gift.

Are you looking for other impressive buildings to help you explore Denmark’s history? Try out the Gammel Estrup Manor Home!

Also, since food and drink are not allowed inside the museum, you may want to check out the Café and Restaurant, Madkælderen, which is, as it says in Danish, in the basement of the castle. Here you will find an atmosphere and meal that is fit for Danish royalty. Expect your meals to look like they came out of a magazine with service to match.

Because our kids don’t quite behave as the “royals” do, we opted for a picnic lunch at the Geografisk Have, Kolding’s botanical gardens, which is located a short drive away from the castle.

Overall Thoughts on the Koldinghus (Slot) Castle

When planning your trip to Denmark, I have always said that visiting Denmark’s peninsula, Jutland (or “Jylland” as the Danes call it), is a most. I’m happy to say that Kolding has been added to the list. The town has lots of shops and restaurants and the castle is quite impressive compared to others of its size and history. Koldinghus is great for those wanting to get more out of a normal museum visit, since the look and atmosphere of the castle are reasons enough for a visit to Kolding. We are glad to have finally made the trip, and we are excited to hear of their upcoming exhibits for a future return visit to the museum.

What is it that you find most interesting about castles?

Getting in Touch and Visiting the Koldinghus (Slot) Castle

Address: Koldinghus 1, 6000 Kolding

Telephone: +45 33 18 60 99

Email: koldinghus@kosa.dk

Website: Click HERE to visit the website

Map of the Koldinghus Museum: Click HERE to see a map of the museum

Buy Your Ticket Online: Click HERE to buy your ticket online before your visit

Madkælderen Restaurant: Click HERE to book a table or learn more about the menu

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