The Chancellery

Facts

The Powerhouse

By Jakob Ingemann Parby, Cand.mag. i historie og etnologi fra Københavns Universitet, 2004. (6 stories)

The Chancellery or The Red Building" was built for King Frederik IV by J.C. Ernst (1716-1721), builder by royal appointment. Near the Chancellery, a state archive was also built that was connected to Copenhagen Castle by a secret passage at first floor height. This was where the state council – Gehejmekonseilet – held its meetings and the King attended these meetings via the secret passage running from his chambers at Christiansborg. The King had his own office in the Chancellery, which was richly decorated with e.g. gilt leather wall hangings and marble fireplaces and was at the end of a "stone corridor", where the Minister of Finance and personal secretaries now have their offices. "

Partly a public place

Selected entry

Centralisation of power under absolute monarchy

Story written by Jakob Ingemann Parby

Time / Periode 1721

3 Comments 0 recommendations

The Chancellery building is a physical expression of the centralisation of power under absolute monarchy. This meant that the central administration grew significantly after 1660. This, in turn, had a considerable impact – both on Denmark as a whole and on the capital. The Kingdom got standardised weights and measures as well as more detailed laws. Copenhagen's economic and political importance grew along with the number of inhabitants during the period of absolute monarchy. But the growing administration ushered in a whole new class – of officials – who played a central role in reforming the absolute monarchy from the last quarter of the 18th century until the system was replaced in the mid-1800s.