The King Arrives
The interpretation project The King Arrives will be on display in the King’s Wing and the new interpretation building when Nyborg Castle reopens in 2028.
The King Arrives – New interpretation of Nyborg Castle’s history
(Top image: Visualisation of the Nordic Room on the second floor of the King’s Wing. Created by Moesgaard’s Tegnestue.)
When Nyborg Castle reopens in 2028, it will feature entirely new interpretation in the castle’s historic rooms and in the new extension. The new interpretation project The King Arrives tells the story of 400 years of Danish history and is being developed in collaboration with Moesgaards Exhibition Design Studio.
The King Arrives is based on the following key narratives:
- The story of democracy: The history of the medieval parliament, the Danehof, which convened at Nyborg Castle for around 200 years, and the story of Denmark’s first constitution in 1282.
- The struggle for power and the history of the monarchy: from around 1200 to the end of the 16th century. Nyborg Castle as a royal residence, where 20 monarchs stayed during the castle’s principal period.
- Nyborg as the Heart of the Danish Realm: A central hub and vital link in the itinerant monarchy.
- Nyborg as Denmark’s first royal capital (1525): The place where the king resided most frequently.
Historical events brought to life in the King’s Wing
As a visitor, your journey begins as you step into the Fadebur in the old King’s Wing (first floor). Here, you encounter the bustle, preparations and anticipation that accompanied the arrival of the King and his retinue in Nyborg. For the Fadebur, the route continues to the second floor, also known as the King’s Chambers.
Visitors pass through, among other spaces, Christian III’s great Hall and the Danehof Hall – the oldest part of the King’s Wing and the only surviving room in Denmark where the king met with his medieval parliament. The journey then continues to the third floor, also known as the King’s Chambers, where visitors can gain a closer insight into the daily lives of the royal household.
Special exhibition and views from the watchtower
The interpretation project The King Arrives continues in the new exhibitions building. Here, visitors can experience a themed exhibition on the age of knighthood, as well as a space for temporary exhibitions. From the new building, visitors will be able to access both the reconstructed ring wall and the Watchtower, where they can truly appreciate the castle’s strategic location and its connection to the town. In front of the castle lies the square where Christian III established his grand tournament ground. From here, traces of Rigets Hovedstrøg (the realm’s main route) can still be discerned – a historic thoroughfare that for centuries connected eastern and western Denmark.
How the story unfolds for visitors
In every room of the King’s Wing, a specific event takes centre stage – along with its key figures and the room itself. In the Danehof Hall, for example, the child king Erik Menved recounts the fate of his father, Erik Klipping, who was murdered in Finderup barn in 1286. The story in each room is conveyed through text, digital scenography and immersive stations for deeper engagement.
The interpretations project has been carefully integrated with the restoration, and all installations and cabling have already have already been put in place, ready for implementation. In total, the project covers an exhibition area of no less than 1704m2 – compromising 1454 m2 across the three floors of the King’s Wing and 250m2 in the new exhibition building.
Visualisation of the Queen’s Chamber on the third floor of the King’s Wing. Created by Moesgaards tegnestue.
Part of a larger castle project
Østfyns Museer is behind The King Arrives at Nyborg Castle, but the interpretation project is, naturally, part of the larger castle project Nyborg Castle – Living Heritage. This overall project is managed by the Danish Agency for Culture and Palaces in collaboration with with th A.P. Møller Foundation, Realdania, Nyborg Municipality and Østfyns Museer.
The castle project includes the restoration of the King’s Wing (completed in 2022), a new interpretation building, a new ring wall and the elevation of the Watchtower (construction begins in 2026). The castle is expected to be completed and ready to welcome visitors in 2028. It is anticipated that Nyborg Castle will receive around 100,000 visitors annually.
Funding of The King Arrives
The interpretation project The King Arrives has a total budget of DKK 68.4 million. In 2024, the project’s main narratives were secured through a grant of DKK 53.5 million from the Augustinus Foundation. In addition, the Knud Højgaard Foundation has contributed DKK 5 million, and the Ole Kirk’s Foundation has supported the project with DKK 3 million. Østfyns Museer continues to work on securing funding for the remaining part of the interpretation project.
H.M. Queen Margrethe is patron of the interpretation project. It is of great significance to the project that the present-day Danish Royal Family also supports the historic royal castle in Nyborg.
