The Danish Hook - Kronborg Castle

With my brother's visit, I knew that going to Kronborg castle was a must. Even though I had been there quite recently when my mom came to Danmark in April, I was still excited to board the regional train and head to Helsingør with Michael on Friday the 27th of May.

A major difference between the last time I was there was the weather. As I have stated in some of my more recent posts, currently the weather in Danmark consists of spuratic bouts of rain. On this Friday, the rain had started before we even left Allerød and continued throughout the day. Seeing Kronborg in the gloom of rain gives one an eerie feeling, demonstrating why Shakespeare used this symbol of Danish might as a setting for his play Hamlet.

(Here we are with our umbrellas)

The Hook, as Kronborg was called at the beginning of its existence, served the Kingdom of Danmark well as a major source of income. The system of payments for crossing the strait was quite effective, even consisting of passing ships paying for any warning shots that were directed at them.

(Michael and I in front of Kronborg)

(Michael on part of the wall structure surrounding Kronborg)

At Kronborg, Michael and I enjoyed the Casements the most. Since it was raining outside, we spent considerably longer in the casements than I had done when I was there previously. Having purchased a flashlight, we were able to wander in parts of the casements off the beaten  and lit path.

 (Michael in the casements, with Natasha lurking in the back.)

 (Michael was in charge of the camera, Natasha was in charge of the flashlight.)

(Without the light of the flashlight, the casements were entirely dark, particularly since there was a lack of outside light due to the rain.)

In the interior of Kronborg, many of the rooms are incredibly simple, consisting of white washed walls and a very sparse amount of furniture. However the chapel, which survived the fire that occurred in 1629, still maintains its elaborate appearance from days of old.

The view from the top of Kronborg's tower is magnificent, clearly demonstrating the power of this castle/ fortress. Though one could not see as far as on days without the presense of rain, one could still see the city of Helsingør, and Sweden on the horizon.

Depite the rain our day trip to Kronborg castle was well worth it.

Vi Ses!!