Kronborg is a must-see! ‘Hamlet’s Castle’ in Elsinore is a world heritage site with soaring towers, a huge banqueting hall and damp casemates.
There are few sites in the world where so much drama and history are gathered in one place. Here the cannon-surrounded fortress on the Danish coast merges with the luxurious Renaissance castle without its equal in northern Europe.
Experience one of Denmark’s most important sights
King Frederik II built Kronborg in 1574-1585 at the narrowest neck of the Sound between Denmark and Sweden – the Renaissance counterpart of a modern motorway. Through it sailed trading vessels from all over the world and had to pay a tax, ‘the Sound Dues’ to the Danish King.
The grandest banqueting hall of the North
Inside the castle, an interactive exhibition tells the story of all the gold the Sound Dues brought Denmark and how the castle was used by the Renaissance kings. The exhibiton takes place in the banqueting hall, which with its length of 62 metres was the longest in the North.
The myth of Hamlet
So how does Hamlet get into the picture? William Shakespeare must have heard or read about the legen¬dary Danish Prince, and since Kronborg was already known all over Europe in the Renaissance, he probably thought ‘That is Hamlet’s castle’. Since the 17th century innumerable theatre productions elsewhere in the world and at Kronborg have made sure the myth of Hamlet has been kept alive.
Last updated:: Monday, July 23, 2012
