7 Best Sights in Frederiksstaden, Copenhagen

The four identical rococo buildings occupying this square have housed royals since 1784. It's still the queen's winter residence. The Christian VIII Palace across from the royals' wing houses the Amalienborg Museum, which displays the second part of the Royal Collection (the first is at Rosenborg Castle) and chronicles royal lifestyles between 1863 and 1947. Here you can view the study of King Christian IX (1818–1906) and the drawing room of his wife, Queen Louise. Rooms are packed with royal heirlooms and treasures.

On Amalienborg's harbor side is the garden of Amaliehaven, at the foot of which the queen's ship often docks. In the square's center is a magnificent equestrian statue of King Frederik V by the French sculptor Jacques François Joseph Saly. It reputedly cost as much as all the buildings combined. Every day at noon, the Royal Guard and band march from Rosenborg Castle through the city for the changing of the guard. At noon on April 16, Queen Margrethe's birthday, crowds of Danes gather for a special treat: their monarch stands and waves from her balcony at Amalienborg and the Danes cheer her on with many a "Hurra!" Queen Margrethe has been on the throne since 1972.

Officially the Frederiks Kirke, this ponderous baroque sanctuary of precious Norwegian marble was begun in 1749 and remained untouched from 1770 to 1874 due to budget constraints. It was finally completed and consecrated in 1894. Around the exterior are 16 statues of various religious leaders from Moses to Luther, and below them stand sculptures of outstanding Danish ministers and bishops. You can can scale 273 steps to the outdoor balcony on the top of the church for great views of the queen's palace and the Opera, across the canal. Afterward, continue along Bredgade to the exotic gilded onion domes of the Russisk Ortodoks Kirke (Russian Orthodox Church).

This small statue from 1913 commemorates Hans Christian Andersen's lovelorn Little Mermaid. You may want to read the original Hans Christian Andersen tale in advance; it's a heartrending story that's a far cry from the Disney animated movie. Donated to the city by Carl Jacobsen, the son of the founder of the Carlsberg Brewery, the innocent waif has also been the subject of some cruel practical jokes, including decapitation and the loss of an arm, but she's currently in one piece. The Langelinie Promenade is thronged with Danes and visitors making their pilgrimage to the statue, especially on sunny Sundays. Although the statue itself is modest, the views of the surrounding harbor are not.

Originally built in the 18th century as a royal hospital, the fine rococo Danish Museum of Art and Design houses a large selection of European and Asian crafts. The focus is on design from the 19th century. Also on display are ceramics, silverware, tapestries, and special exhibitions that often focus on contemporary design. There are labels in English. A small café also operates here.

Evocative, often moving displays commemorate the heroic Danish resistance movement, which saved 7,000 Jews from the Nazis by hiding and then smuggling them to Sweden. The homemade tank outside was used to spread the news of the Nazi surrender after World War II. The displays have information in English. The museum was recently renovated and is set to reopen in mid-2020.

Not far from the Little Mermaid, this fountain illustrates another dramatic myth. The goddess Gefion was promised as much of Sweden as she could plow in a night. The story goes that she changed her sons into oxen and used them to portion off what is now the island of Zealand.