In 2010, before The Bridge and The Killing established Danish television as a global phenomenon, Danish broadcaster DR1 premiered a political drama that seemed initially to occupy a niche audience: a show about the Danish prime minister, the internal dynamics of parliament, and the compromises of governing. Borgen—which is the affectionate Danish name for Christiansborg Palace, the seat of Danish government—might have been a historical curiosity, a show that appealed only to Danish viewers interested in their own political system. Instead, it became a sophisticated examination of power, gender, leadership, and governance that achieved international acclaim and, more remarkably, influenced how Danes themselves understood their political system.

The show’s protagonist is Birgitte Nyborg, a centrist party politician who unexpectedly becomes Prime Minister after a political crisis. Played by Sidse Babett Knudsen in a career-defining role, Nyborg is intelligent, determined, pragmatic, and increasingly desperate to hold onto power as she discovers that governing requires endless compromises that gradually undermine the idealistic reasons she entered politics. The show’s genius lies in presenting Nyborg with empathy and intelligence—we understand her motivations and her moral struggles even as we watch her make ethically questionable decisions.

The Real Borgen

“Borgen” literally means “fortress” or “castle” in Danish, and it’s the beloved nickname for Christiansborg Palace, which has housed the Danish Parliament (Folketing) since 1849. The palace is one of Scandinavia’s most important political buildings and one of Denmark’s most impressive architectural achievements. Unlike many parliaments that are sequestered in capital cities, Christiansborg is intimately integrated into Copenhagen’s geography—it’s accessible, visible, and part of the city’s everyday landscape.

The palace itself is a masterpiece of Danish neoclassical architecture, with distinctive copper spires that turned green over time and are now one of Copenhagen’s most recognizable features. The building was constructed originally in the 19th century, destroyed by fire in 1884, and rebuilt by 1928. It’s a working parliament building, not a museum, which means that actual Danish democracy happens within its walls daily.

What makes Borgen remarkable as a television production is that much of it was actually filmed inside the real Christiansborg Palace. The Danish Parliament allowed the producers to film in actual parliamentary chambers, hallways, and offices. This authenticity—seeing fictional political dramas unfold in the actual spaces where Danish politics happen—is a crucial part of the show’s power. The architecture and atmosphere aren’t recreated; they’re genuinely documented.

The Danish Political System

Understanding Borgen requires understanding the Danish political system, which is fundamentally different from the majority rule systems in many countries. Denmark uses proportional representation, which means that no single party typically wins an outright majority of seats in parliament. Instead, governments are formed through coalitions, and minority governments are common.

The show depicts this system accurately and compassionately. Nyborg’s government, in the first season, is a minority government—her party doesn’t have enough seats to pass legislation alone, so she must negotiate with other parties on each bill. This makes governing incredibly complicated and requires constant negotiation, compromise, and horse-trading. It’s less cinematically dramatic than the winner-take-all politics of larger democracies, but it’s considerably more realistic about how most modern democracies actually function.

The show never simplifies the system or explains it patronizingly to non-Danish viewers. Instead, it trusts the audience to understand that these constraints are real and that they shape political behavior. This trust in the audience’s intelligence is one of the reasons Borgen appealed globally—viewers recognized that the show was treating them and the political system with respect.

Birgitte Nyborg and Gender Politics

While Borgen is interested in power and politics broadly, it’s particularly concerned with gender. Nyborg is a woman in a position of extreme power, and the show doesn’t shy away from depicting the specific challenges and opportunities that creates. She’s navigating a male-dominated political system, managing her family and personal life while leading a government, and dealing with the double standards that women in power face everywhere.

The show’s approach to gender is sophisticated and modern. It doesn’t present Nyborg as a victim of sexism, though she certainly experiences gendered expectations. Instead, she’s a complex human being who sometimes leverages her gender strategically, sometimes resents gendered expectations, and sometimes falls prey to them. The show allows her to be flawed, ambitious, ruthless when necessary, and genuinely caring about her responsibilities.

Sidse Babett Knudsen’s performance is extraordinary—she manages to convey intelligence, ambition, desperation, and vulnerability often within the same scene. Her face becomes the show’s primary instrument for exploring the internal psychological cost of political compromise. By the end of the series, viewers understand viscerally what power costs and why Nyborg makes the choices she does.

Visiting Christiansborg Palace

Today, Christiansborg Palace is open to visitors, and touring it after watching Borgen is an extraordinary experience. The palace offers three separate guided tours: the Parliament Tour, the Royal Reception Rooms Tour, and the Palace Ruins Tour. Each provides different perspectives on this historically and politically significant building.

The Parliament Tour

The Parliament Tour takes visitors through the actual working chambers of the Folketing. You’ll see the main chamber where debates happen, the offices and hallways where politicians move through daily business, and the spaces where Borgen was actually filmed. Seeing these real locations after watching the show is a profound experience—the architecture and atmosphere are exactly as depicted on screen because they actually filmed there.

The chamber itself is architecturally striking, with excellent acoustics designed to allow robust debate. Seeing the physical space where Danish democracy functions daily, and where the real negotiations depicted (in dramatized form) in Borgen actually happen, is genuinely moving. Tours are typically conducted in English and last about 45 minutes.

The Royal Reception Rooms

The Royal Reception Rooms are the official reception spaces of the Danish monarchy, used for state functions and formal occasions. These rooms are among the most beautiful spaces in the palace, with elaborate decorations, impressive artwork, and historical significance. While Borgen focuses on the political machinery rather than the ceremonial aspects of monarchy, these rooms provide context for understanding the palace’s broader role in Danish state functions.

The Palace Ruins

Perhaps most fascinating is the Palace Ruins Tour, which takes visitors beneath the palace to the archaeological remains of previous structures. Copenhagen, like many Northern European cities, sits atop layers of history, and Christiansborg is built on the site of earlier fortifications. The ruins tour explores these earlier structures and provides context for how Christiansborg fits into Copenhagen’s longer history.

Touring Copenhagen as Nyborg Would

Borgen takes viewers through Copenhagen beyond just Christiansborg. The show depicts Nyborg moving through the city from her home in the suburbs (she lives in Hellerup, a prosperous neighborhood north of Copenhagen) to political meetings, press conferences, and official events throughout the city. Following Nyborg’s geography is an excellent way to explore Copenhagen while understanding how the show used the city.

Start at Christiansborg itself, spending several hours touring the palace and exploring its surroundings. The palace sits on Slotsholmen, an island in central Copenhagen surrounded by water, and the views and atmosphere of this location are excellent. Walk around the island’s perimeter to appreciate the palace’s relationship to the city.

From there, explore the government quarter and the nearby city center. Various government ministries and offices are located in this area, and the show’s depiction of politicians moving through Copenhagen’s central areas for meetings reflects how concentrated power is geographically in the Danish capital.

Visit the neighborhood of Hellerup where Nyborg lives. It’s an upscale residential area north of central Copenhagen, accessible by train or bus. The neighborhood is pleasant and tree-lined, a far cry from the intensity of central Copenhagen and parliament, and it captures the contrast the show emphasizes between political life and the private spaces where politicians try to maintain personal lives.

The Show’s Political Impact

Remarkably, Borgen influenced real Danish politics. The show’s popularity in Denmark meant that many Danish citizens understood their political system in terms of the show’s narrative. When actual politicians faced situations similar to those Nyborg faced, media coverage would reference the show. Politicians became aware that their actions would be evaluated through the lens of Borgen‘s portrayal of political ethics and compromise.

The show arguably made Danish citizens more politically sophisticated—it demonstrated how systemic constraints shape individual political choices, and it showed that understanding politics requires understanding compromise, coalition-building, and the necessity of sometimes working with people you don’t entirely agree with. Rather than presenting politics as a simple good-versus-evil narrative, Borgen depicted it as a complex system where intelligent, well-intentioned people still sometimes make ethically compromised choices.

Practical Information for Visiting

Christiansborg Palace is located on Slotsholmen in central Copenhagen, easily reached by public transport (multiple bus lines and the S-train stop nearby). Tours typically run several times daily and must be booked in advance, especially in peak season. Tours are conducted in multiple languages including English.

The palace sits near other significant Copenhagen attractions—Tøjhusmuseet (a royal weapons and history museum), the Royal Library, and the Copenhagen city center are all within walking distance. A full day in the area, combining palace visits with exploring central Copenhagen, is ideal.

The best time to visit is late spring (May-June) or early autumn (September-October), when weather is pleasant. Summer can be crowded; winter is cold but less touristy. The palace is closed on certain days for official functions, so check the website before planning your visit.

The Show’s Broader Significance

Borgen arrived at a moment when global audiences were hungry for intelligent, complex television about substantive subjects. The show proved that politics could be dramatically compelling—not through fictional heroics or fabricated crises, but through accurately depicting the genuine tensions inherent in governance and compromise.

In retrospect, Borgen seems almost prescient about political challenges that would become increasingly prominent in the years after it aired: the difficulty of coalition governments, the rise of populist parties, gender and representation in politics, media manipulation, and the endless compromises required to actually govern. The show treated all these subjects seriously and with sophistication.

For visitors to Copenhagen, Borgen offers something genuinely valuable: an understanding of how Danish political institutions work, an appreciation for Christiansborg’s architectural and historical significance, and a framework for understanding how politics shapes the city’s power dynamics. Watching the show before visiting, and then touring the real locations where it was filmed, creates a rich and rewarding experience that goes well beyond typical tourist activities. You’re not just seeing buildings; you’re understanding the institutions they house and the human dramas that unfold within their walls daily.