KRONBORG SLOT
Helsingør, Denmark
Known to the world today as "Hamlet's Castle", the correct name for Denmark's most famous Castle is Kronborg Castle. It stands in the town of Helsingør which was anglicised by Shakespeare as Elsinore - the setting for Hamlet - Prince of Denmark (written around 1601).
But Kronborg Castle is much more than just the setting of the world's most famous play. To the Danes it is a landmark of huge importance - the phrase "to have Kronborg to starboard" to the Danish means a return home.
The first Castle here, known as Krogen, was constructed by Erik of Pomerania around the year 1420 to control the narrowest point of the Øresund which separates Denmark from Sweden and is the only seaward way into the Baltic Sea. Thus the Danes could extract tolls from all those passing by Krogen and get rich on the proceeds.
Between 1574 and 1585 the Castle was rebuilt as a sumptuous, if still fortified, Renaissance palace by King Frederik II. In 1629 a massive fire ravaged the Castle, leaving only the chapel intact. It was rebuilt almost identically by King Christian IV.
In 1658 Kronborg, as it was named by Frederik II, was attacked and overrun by Swedish troops from across the Øresund. Rebuilding again took place, but this time modern defences were built, including underground tunnels, bastions and the fortlet of Kronværket (in 1690).
In 1785 the Castle changed from Palace to barracks and the Army stayed until 1923 at which time the interior of the Castle was rebuilt to its appearance in the 15th Century.
The Shakespeare connection is celebrated with regular performances of Hamlet in the summer on the ramparts (including performances from such as Sir Derek Jacobi) and an exhibition inside the Castle which charts the pre and post Shakespeare history of the tale (it is loosely based on the tale of Amled, an ancient Danish folk story). In the casemates under the Castle is the statue of another character from Danish mythology, Holger Danske, who (like King Arthur in Britain) is waiting in sleep until the time his country needs him to awaken.
The Castle is open for much of the year and is worth a trip out from Copenhagen if you're in the area ... and if you're lucky enough to be there at the right time, try to catch a performance of Shakespeare's masterpiece ... after all, you really are in the right place!
© Text copyright - Raving Loony
Productions and Andrew J. Müller
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2018
