The Benedictine Territorial Abbey of San Michele Arcangelo has been existed at least from 1078 and was probably built in the 5th century. The benedictine Abbey Church (12th century), dedicated to St. Michael, has a notable portal and a Norman-style bell tower with mullioned windows. The Norman lord Humphrey of Hauteville and his son Rudolph made large donations to the abbey. In 1484, after joining the Benedictine Congregation of St. Giustina from Padua, the abbey was enlarged and restored in Renaissance forms.
Afterwards it decayed due to numerous wars ravaging the country in those years. Renewed starting from 1590, it received a cylindrical cupola in 1650. The monks abandoned the abbey in 1784.
Rosenborg Palace was built in the period 1606-34 as Christian IV’s summerhouse just outside the ramparts of Copenhagen. Christian IV was very fond of the palace and often stayed at the castle when he resided in Copenhagen, and it was here that he died in 1648. After his death, the palace passed to his son King Frederik III, who together with his queen, Sophie Amalie, carried out several types of modernisation.
The last king who used the place as a residence was Frederik IV, and around 1720, Rosenborg was abandoned in favor of Frederiksborg Palace.Through the 1700s, considerable art treasures were collected at Rosenborg Castle, among other things items from the estates of deceased royalty and from Christiansborg after the fire there in 1794.
Soon the idea of a museum arose, and that was realised in 1833, which is The Royal Danish Collection’s official year of establishment.