Shakespeare Would be Proud

On Sunday morning, we braved the early time, dark sky, and cold temperatures to explore Helsingør (in English, Elsinore), home of the Kronborg Castle. For those who cannot think back to high school English class, Kronborg is the setting of Shakespeares Hamlet. Sparknotes: in the Kingdom of Denmark, Prince Hamlet takes revenge on his Uncle Claudius who killed his brother and Hamlets father, King Hamlet. The play is very  tragic and certainly matches the gloomy mood of the Kronborg Castle.

Before the tour of the castle, we explored the town of Elsinore, which is a quant town on the water complete with the typical colorful Danish houses to nicely compliment the dreary seaside weather. 

The castle in set back from the town and is surrounded by a moat and many grass hills, which were used as protection from invaders (mainly the Swedes). I learned in my Danish History class that castles were placed on the outskirts of the town, never in the center, so that the ruler could easily exert power and influence. 

My friend Jenna and me near the castle

The tour started in the caverns and dungeon of the castle, where Holger Danske, the protector of Denmark, lives. You can't tell from this picture because of the flash, but it was pitch black and freezing.

A replica of a soldier standing guard beneath the palace.

Our tour guide led us through the caverns with only a small flashlight, and we had to trust that she knew where she was going. This is where both prisoners were held and watchmen were stationed for months at a time. Because the soldiers were hidden down here, the enemy (again, mostly the Swedes) had no idea how many men they were up against, adding a nice element of surprise. The caverns were cold, dark, and musty, and there was even some fungi growing on the ceiling which our guide pointed out. Can you think of a better way to spend 7 months?

This plaque is in dedication to Shakespeare and his play Hamlet. The actual name in the inscription reads "Amleth" instead of Hamlet.

I did not take that many pictures inside of the castle because it was very gloomy and gray, not much like the royal palace I would have wanted to live in. Here are a few highlights, although I don't really have any stories to go along with the pictures, because at this point we were all freezing and were too busy laughing.

These are for my cousin Caden...they had a lego playroom complete with more than enough legos to build an entire kingdom. Very fitting, considering Denmark is the home of Lego's!

I'm off to cook dinner and enjoy the Friday night, have a good weekend!