The Dome Hall
The Dome Hall is the central hall of Fredensborg Palace. It serves both as the setting for grand celebrations in the Royal Family and as a hub in the palace's interior that connects the different rooms. The hall is decorated in the style of the 18th century.
The Dome Hall was first used in 1722. To this day, the Royal Family still uses it for large or more intimate gala dinners on special occasions.
The Dome Hall Today
The Dome Hall measures 15 meters from wall to wall in both directions and covers an area of 225 m², making it larger than most Danes' entire homes. On special occasions, the hall hosts large or more intimate gala dinners, showcasing its grandeur as royal banquet hall. The room has only minimal electric lighting, with a chandelier in each corner and electric lights installed along the balustrade. During royal gala dinners, the room is also illuminated with candlelight.
The Dome Hall as Seen by Frederik IV
The ceiling of the Dome Hall still looks as it did when Frederik IV saw it in 1722, when the hall was first used. The ceiling's design and color scheme have been recreated to match its original appearance when the palace was built, over 300 years ago. Red and blue panels and detailed and lifelike stucco decorations frame the central dome. The stucco has references to hunting and the joys of country living, matching the role of Fredensborg as a country seat.
Did you know ...
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that Frederik IX etched writing into the glass?
Frederik IX etched some words into the glass of the lantern at the top of the Dome Hall ceiling.
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that there are etchings from both 1915 and 1916?
Frederik IX etched writing into the panes of glass in both 1915 and 1916.
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the King did it while catching some fresh air?
What Frederik IX wrote was that he had gone up into the dome to catch some fresh air and listen to the night owl.
The signatures in the windowpanes
Throughout the palace
Fredensborg Palace is known for having many inscriptions meticulously etched into the windowpanes throughout the palace, and the Dome Hall is no exception.
Today, it is a tradition
Today, it is a tradition for official guests of the Royal Family at Fredensborg Palace to etch their names and the year of their visit into a small window pane, which is then installed at the palace.
Over 239 panes with inscriptions
The tradition was introduced during the time of Christian IX and Queen Louise and is still upheld today. There are now 239 windowpanes with inscriptions at Fredensborg Palace.
Even in the door frames
In the Dome Hall, inscriptions are even etched into the door frames. One of these inscriptions is from June 1866. It commemorates the engagement of Princess Dagmar, daughter of Christian IX and Queen Louise, to Grand Duke Alexander of Russia.
Testament to a well-visited palace
Thus, around the Dome Hall, there are mementos of the many people who have visited Fredensborg Palace over the centuries.
The black-and-white marble tiles of the floor are laid in a meticulous pattern, but if you look carefully, you will notice a deliberate flaw.
Perfectly imperfect
The Italian master mason Marcantonio Pelli was responsible for laying the marble floor – and the flaw in the pattern is not a sign of carelessness. The pattern is made up of black tiles laid out as stars among the white tiles, but one star looks different from the others. The flaw illustrates the notion that only God could create something flawless; human beings could not. The creator was perfect, but humans were fallible.
Bridal waltz on the marble floor
On the symbolic floor in the Dome Hall, many newly-married couples have danced their first waltz over the centuries. In 1967, Princess Margrethe (II), then the Heir Apparent to the Danish throne, danced with Prince Henrik, her consort, on the marble floor. Nearly four decades later, in 2004, Crown Prince Frederik (X) waltzed with Crown Princess Mary at their wedding, while the eyes of the entire country were upon them.