Amalienborg Palace is the official home of the Danish royal family. It consists of four buildings with identical façades around an octagonal courtyard. A daily changing of the guard ceremony occurs at noon to the delights of tourists. However, during the summer when the queen is absent, the guard unit is smaller with no band.
Immediately to the northwest of the palace is the Frederik's Church (also called Marble Church). King Frederick V ordered the church to be built in 1749, but ran out of money to complete the project. In 1874, the government offered financier Tietgen the right to develop surrounding lands in exchange to finishing the church, which was finally opened in 1894.