Christiansborg Palace Chapel has a fiery history marked by flames. The first Christiansborg Palace Chapel was built between 1733 and 1745, designed by Nicolai Eigtved, commissioned by King Christian VI. The architect designed one of the most distinguished Rococo interiors in Denmark. In 1794, fire ravaged the palace. Architect Christian Frederik Hansen, resurrected the palace and was commissioned to rebuild the palace chapel in 1810. The chapel was inaugurated on May 14, 1826 to mark the One Thousandth Anniversary of the introduction of Christianity to Denmark. A second fire in 1884 spared the church, as the spread of the palace fire was stopped by the buildings linking the chapel to the palace. However, on June 7, 1992, the chapel was burned to the ground, probably set ablaze by fireworks set off during the Whitsun carnival. During the 1992 fire, the roof, dome and dividing floor were burned down. The Danish Minister of Finance’s Palace and Properties Agency began rebuilding the chapel in collaboration with Eric Møller’s Drawing Studio. No drawings existed of the dome and roof, but systematic exercises in building archaeology registered the charred remains of the building, and made it possible to recreate them. Historically accurate building methods were used throughout the rebuilding process. Danish craftsmen were unable to recreate the buildings scagliola. Manfred Siller, one of Germany’s leading experts in this technique, took charge and taught the technique to Danish stucco workers. The rebuilt church was inaugurated on January 14, 1997 to celebrate Queen Margrethe II’s Silver Jubilee. The rebuilding was awarded the prestigious Europa Nostra Prize. Since the 14th century, the Palace Chapel has been used for countless ceremonies of the royal family including baptisms, confirmations, weddings and funerals, and for a single coronation

PHOTOS: Left Column: 1. Façade of Christiansborg Palace Chapel, originally  built c. 1745, then rebuilt and inaugurated in 1997. 2. The Royal gallery at the Palace Chapel. 3. The marble pulpit of the Palace Chapel. Center, Top: An embedded marble bas relief within the archway that connects the Palace Chapel to Christiansborg Palace complex. Center, Middle: View of the interior of the Charistansborg Palace Chapel.  Center, Bottom: Detail: dome and ceiling crafted with scagliola, a Rococo plaster technique. Right Column: 1. View of classical buildings beneath the archway of Christiansborg Palace, adjacent to the Palace Chapel. 2. Sculpture within the niche in the interior of the Palace Chapel.

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