Imagine royal banquets once filled the very space before you. This is Livgardens Kaserne. It stands beside Rosenborg Castle in Copenhagen. This barracks has a rich history. It is one of two homes to the Royal Danish Life Guard.
The story of Livgardens Kaserne begins in 1670. King Christian V built a pavilion. Architect Lambert van Haven assisted him. Two long orangerie wings flanked the pavilion. They ran parallel to the Eastern Rampart. The pavilion hosted royal banquets. It supplemented Christian IV’s old pavilion. The king converted that into a Hermitage.
In 1709, the complex was joined. It became one long building called the Orangerie. Johan Cornelius Krieger adapted it in 1743. He gave it a Baroque style. Its name changed to Laurierhuset. This means The Laurel House.
Space grew scarce at Sølvgade Barracks. It was located on the other side of Rosenborg Gardens. Engineer Officer Ernst Peymann received a task. He had to convert the Laurel House. It would become the new Royal Life Guard quarters. Work lasted from 1785 to 1786. It involved adding an extra story. Further changes occurred in 1845 and 1930.
But there is also a dark chapter in the history of the Livgardens Kaserne. On August 29, 1943, the Germans attacked. This was part of Operation Safari. The Kaserne guard consisted of a corporal and 18 privates. They were supported by a company of the 1st Life Guard Battalion. German troops forced their way into the barracks. They opened fire. The guard returned fire from the windows. Shooting stopped after orders from the company commander. The commander of the Life Guard also gave an order. He had arrived with a German officer. One officer and one reserve NCO died.
In 1985, the Royal Life Guard headquarters moved. It relocated to Høvelte Barracks. This is north of Copenhagen. Since then, Livgardens Kaserne houses guards on duty. They serve at Amalienborg Palace, Rosenborg Castle, or Christiansborg Palace.
Livgardens Kaserne also houses the Royal Life Guards Museum. It displays the history and artifacts of the Royal Life Guards. The museum covers their founding in 1658 to the present day. It opened on January 12, 1978.
Once, this building supplied the royal household. It provided fruits and vegetables. The central part was a pleasure house. King Christian V built it in 1670. It was called the “pleasure house with the four golden buttons.” Laurits de Thurah later altered the building. J.C. Krieger designed a Baroque facade in 1742.
In 1787, part of the garden became an exercise ground. From 1786, the building became a barracks. It housed the Royal Life Guard on Foot. A long building along Gothersgade served as an exercise house. In winter, the public could stroll inside. Gaslights illuminated the 136-meter-long house. It was too cold to walk in Kongens Have.
Today, the Life Guard’s duty company still uses Livgardens Kaserne. It also contains the Royal Life Guards Historical Collection. Remember the dedication and history held within these walls. They stand as a testament to the Royal Danish Life Guard. Their legacy continues to this day.