Copenhagen - Дания

Kronborg Castle

The Kronborg Castle is a castle and stronghold that dates back to the early 15th cenutry. Located in the town of Helsingør, Denmark, the castle is strategically situated on the tip of Denmark and was one of the few entraceways to the Baltic Sea. The sound that separates Denmark from present day Sweden is only 2.5 miles wide which made it important have a castle built in order to control and protect the waterways leading into the country. The original castle was transformed by King Frederick II into a stunning Renaissance castle and is famously known as "Elsinore," the setting of William Shakespeare's play Hamlet. The play was performed for the first time in the castle to mark the 200th anniversary of Shakespeare's death. Even today, Hamlet is performed in castle, so if you are visiting, you might be lucky enough to catch a live performance! Hamlets Castle has huge symbolic value to the Danish people and played a key role in the history of northern Europe in the 16th-18th centuries. During the Dano-Swedish War of 1658-1680, Kronborg was conquered by the Swedish army. The castle was turned into an army barracks until 1923 before becoming open to the public. Since 2000, the Kronborg Castle has been classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Take a guided tour and marvel at the royal apartments, the lavish Ballrooms, or head down to the darkest of dungeons. Make sure to stop at the gift shop before leaving to get yourself a souvenir, and for the poetry lovers, something to remember your time spent at Hamlet's Elsinore!