Kronborg Castle Hamlet's Elsinore Castle
- Wanderer
- Sep 24, 2017
- 1 min read
Kronborg Castle
Kronborg Castle, which is the Elsinore Castle of Shakespeare’s Hamlet, was built in Helsingor (Elsinore in English) between 1574-1585 by Frederick II. Listed on the UNESCO's World Heritage Sites list, the castle is representing the Renaissance Style in architecture.
Strategic Location and Sound Dues
The castle is situated at a very strategic point on the northeastern side of the island of Zealand. At the narrowest point of the Oresund Strait, the sound (strait) between present Denmark and Sweden. Opposite to Helsingor at the Swedish part is situated city Helsingborg.
In history, all foreign ships passing through the sound, whether on the route to or from Denmark or not, had to stop in Helsingor and pay a toll (Sound Dues) to the Danish Crown. If a ship refused to stop, cannons in both Helsingor and Helsingborg could open fire and sink the refusing ship without any warnings.
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