Along with Frederiksborg Slot, there was another castle I wanted to visit – Kronborg Slot. Immortalised by Shakespeare as Elsinore Castle in Hamlet, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2000, Kronborg Slot was surely a must-see.
Having taken in the beauty of the castle at Hillerød, I jumped back on the train and headed for the coastal city of Helsingør. Half an hour later I had arrived, only to be greeted by skies that were looking decidedly grey. As if I hadn't seen enough rain for one holiday.
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| The castle on a cloudy day |
The present castle stands on the site of a 15th century stronghold named Krogen that was built by Eric of Pomerania, also known as Eric VII, King of Denmark (r. 1396-1439). Between 1574 and 1585, King Frederik II (r. 1559-1588) had the fortress transformed into a Renaissance castle.
In 1629, the castle was destroyed by a fire. Frederik's son, King Christian IV (r. 1588-1648) had it rebuilt in the Baroque style. One of the highlights of the castle is its ballroom which at 62 x 12 m (203 x 39 ft) was once the largest royal hall in Northern Europe.
The palace ceased to be used as a royal residence from 1690 onwards and in 1785, it was converted into an army barracks. When the army left in 1923, the palace was renovated and restored its former glory. In 2000, it became a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
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| The inspiration for Shakespeare's Elsinore Castle |
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| Looking out across the Øresund |
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| The castle courtyard |
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| Sea views |
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| Beautiful old hallway |
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| The gorgeous ballroom, once the largest in Northern Europe |
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| Buildings within the complex |
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| One last look |
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