The Yellow Palace (Det Gule Palæ), or Bergum's Mansion, is considered the first example of Neoclassical architecture in Copenhagen. When Frederiksstaden was laid around 1748, it was envisioned as a uniform Rococo district. All new buildings had to comply with certain guidelines stipulated by Nicolai Eigtved, the district's masterplanner. After Eigtved's death in 1754 they were in principle upheld but as fashions changed they were somewhat relaxed. The Yellow Mansion was built built from 1759 to 1764 for the timber merchant H. F. Bargum. The architect was Nicolas-Henri Jardin and he designed it in the Neoclassical style.
King Frederick VI purchased the mansion in 1810 to use it as a guest residence for relatives visiting the royal family. In 1837, King Frederik VII handed the property over to his nephew Prince Christian of Glücksborg who had just arrived in Copenhagen from Germany. At this stage no one knew that he was later to become Christian IX as the first Glücksburg king of Denmark. Prince Christian took up residence in the mansion and lived there until 1865 when he had become king and moved into Amalienborg Palace. Later Prince Valdemar lived in the Yellow Palace until his death in 1939 as its last royal resident.
Today the building is owned by the Danish Palaces and Properties Agency and houses the Lord Chamberlain's Office.
References:
