The Swedish Villa was commissioned by the Swedish state and exhibited in 1888 in Copenhagen at the great Nordic Industrial, Agricultural and Art Exhibition as an example of classic Swedish wooden building art.

The then Queen Louise liked the villa and she bought it for construction in Bernstorffsparken when the exhibition was finished.

Bernstorff Park was home to Bernstorff Castle, which was built in the years 1760-65 by Foreign Minister J. H. E. Bernstorff as a summer residence for himself and his family. Since 1854 – when he became heir to the throne – Chr. d. IX used the castle as a summer residence. It was his favorite place to stay and suited his simple habits, and although space was tight, he loved to gather his large family from most of Europe’s royal houses here in the summer. Not without reason was Chr. d. IX called “Europe’s father-in-law”.

Queen Louise built the Swedish Villa as a guest house. The villa functioned as such until the king’s death in 1906, when the royal couple’s youngest son, Prince Valdemar, took over Bernstorff Castle as his summer residence until his death in 1939.

Prince Valdemar and Princess Marie’s five children Aage, Axel, Erik, Viggo and Margrethe grew up in the castle’s lovely surroundings and Prince Axel and Princess Margaretha are buried in the north-west corner of Bernstorff Park. A memorial stone has been erected above the tomb.

After Prince Valdemar’s death, the National Civil Air Defense took over the castle as a command school. It was used until 2008 by the Danish Emergency Management Agency.

From 1939 – 85, Svenske Villa has been rented out for various purposes. The villa belongs to the state and is administered by Slots- og Ejendomsstyrelsen under the Ministry of Housing.

The Swedish Villa was listed in 1987, despite its already poor maintenance at the time.

Svenske Villa stood empty from 1985 to 1995, when it was privately restored and used as a cultural center in 1995.