Kronborg Castle in Elsinore, at the seaward approach to the Sound Øresund, is one of northern Europe's most important Renaissance castles. Known all over the world from Shakespeare's Hamlet, it is also the most famous castle in Denmark with about 200,000 visitors each year.
The figure of Hamlet appeared for the first time more than 800 years ago in Saxo Grammaticus' Gesta danorum, or History of the Danes. Kronborg Castle was named after King Frederik II in 1577, but its history goes right back to the 1420s, when Erik of Pomerania built the strongly fortified castle known as "Krogen" ("The Hook"). From here the king’s men controlled the shipping in the Sound and collected the unpopular Sound Dues.
For centuries, Holger the Dane has been an important national symbol for the Danish people.
The legend did not originate in Denmark at all, however, but appeared for the first time in Chanson de Roland, a principal work in medieval French literature. Holger the Dane appears in the work as one of Charlemagne’s great warriors named “Ogier le Danois”.
Later the tale of Holger the Dane wandered northward, appearing for the first time in Scandinavia around 1510. A Danish version of the tale was published in 1534 entitled “Kong Olger Danskes Krønike”, or The Chronicle of King Olger the Dane. As the author Christiern Pedersen came from Elsinore, the heroic figure became naturally associated with Kronborg. The book was republished several times and was a primary source of inspiration for the Danish populace’s knowledge and awareness of the bearded giant Holger the Dane.
According to the legend, when the kingdom is threatened by a foreign enemy, the stone figure will turn into flesh and blood, and Holger the Dane will rise up to defend his country.
The figure of Hamlet appeared for the first time more than 800 years ago in Saxo Grammaticus’ Gesta danorum, or History of the Danes. From Saxo the legend continued to Danish writer Christiern Pedersen, who published a story about “Amleth” in 1514. This publication made the drama famous outside Denmark.
Presumably inspired by Kyd’s now lost rendition, William Shakespeare wrote the play “The Tragical History of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark” around 1600, thereby immortalising Saxo’s legendary prince.