The ruins under Christiansborg

Christiansborg Palace is one of the most visited museums in Denmark, but did you know that you can also see the ruins deep under the castle? Take the Metro to Gammel Strand, cross Højbro and dive into the darkness and dramatic stories of Absalon Castle and Copenhagen Castle that lay where Christiansborg Palace is today.

Until April 2025, the ruins also form the setting for the special exhibition ‘Power and Magic - Condemned to Witchcraft at the King's Castle’, which focuses on three famous witch trials from one of the darkest chapters of Danish history.

Experience an underground art centre

Cisternerne under Søndermarken is today an underground art centre where you can retreat from everyday life, where time stands still and where the mobile signal is not enough. If you get off the Metro at Frederiksberg Allé, it's just a cosy walk through Frederiksberg Gardens to the Cisterns.

The old water reservoir is sparsely lit - it's said to be the only museum in Europe where daylight doesn't penetrate - and the atmosphere enchants children and adults alike. The cisterns are closed in winter from 1 December to March.

Relax in the underground spa

At Scandic Spectrum in the heart of the city centre, you can take the lift down to a sensory experience that instantly lowers your heart rate and makes you breathe deep into your stomach. 

Spectrum Wellness is a small underground oasis of well-being, peace and relaxation where you can glide through the water in the 25 metre long pool, warm your fingertips in the Finnish sauna and relax in soft lounge furniture. If you take the Metro to Copenhagen Central Station, tranquillity awaits you not far away.

See the sparkling crown jewels

Not far from Nørreport stands the beautiful Rosenborg Palace, where the royals have hidden their precious treasures for hundreds of years. Today, in the treasure chamber under the castle, you can see the Danish crown regalia and crown jewels that are like something out of a fairytale.

In the underground chambers with metre-thick walls, the king and queen's crowns shine, lavishly decorated with precious stones and gold ornaments, while the crown jewels consist of four jewellery sets: the emerald set, the pearl ruby set, the diamond set and the rose stone set.