Elsinore - Kronborg Castle -- near Copenhagen, Denmark

Kronborg Castle in Helsingør is the actual castle that William Shakespeare set Hamlet in.  In his famous play, the castle was called Elsinore, which has become the English name for Helsingør.   Located an hour north of Copenhagen, Denmark, it is still a mystery whether Shakespeare actually ever visited the castle.

Kronborg Castle

 Regardless, he doubtless heard the stories of the beautiful castle and the fabulous banquets held there.  He wrote this world-renowned tragedy around 1600 before the fire devastated the infamous castle.

Named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000, Kronborg Castle has existed since 1420.  Although it burned to the ground and has been rebuilt, its strategic position at the head of  Øresund Sound placed Helsingør as one of the most important cities in Europe when passing ships were bound to stop and pay tolls before sailing into the Baltic Sea.   

With these Sound Dues, Frederick II adorned the castle with spires, sandstone and copper roofs making it one of the most beautiful castles of the Renaissance period.  Lavish court life vanished after the fire of 1629 taking all its rich furnishings leaving only its exterior walls.

Interior Kronborg Castle

Frederick II had ordered a series of rich tapestries depicting 1,000 years of Danish history to adorn the Ballroom, or Great Hall, built for his queen Sophie.   Of the 43 historic tapestries all but 15 were destroyed in the fire, and seven are on display at Kronborg.

The palace was rebuilt within ten years but never regained its former glory.  The Swedish king Karl Gustav (husband of Queen Hedvig Leonora of Drottningholm Palace fame) plundered Kronborg in 1658-1660 and for 300 years, the castle served only as a fortress and barracks.

Twisted passageways and secret crypts offer a mystique to the castle. These hidden casemates were built 1574-76 after the fire to provide a hiding place for soldiers, their horses, and provisions…enough to feed 1,000 men for six weeks.

Holger Danske

Deep underground visitors will find the imposing statue of Holger the Dane (Holger Danske), a legendary figure in Danish culture.  As the story goes, if Denmark is ever in trouble, he awakes from his rocky throne to defend her.

While touring the castle, use wifi to listen to stories about the castle’s main rooms.  Look for signs with QR codes on window sills.  Scan the code and get the exciting story of the room, what it was used for, and who lived there.  Be sure to have a QR code reader already loaded on your smart phone.

In the summer of 2017, Hamlet characters will take up residence in the halls and chambers of Kronborg Castle.  Although this Hamlet Live tour costs more than a regular admission ticket, visitors just might run into them while they are roaming around the castle.  Don’t be surprised to see Hamlet or Ophelia wandering the halls.

Drottningholm Palace -- Stockholm, Sweden

Drottningholm Palace is the private resident palace of the royal family of Sweden and a UNESCO’s World Heritage Site since 1991.  Built in the French style in the 1600s and patterned after Versailles, it is located on the island of Lovön in Drottningholm outside of Stockholm.

Drottningholm Palace

The rooms in the southern wing are reserved for Their Majesties the King and Queen, but the rest of the palace and grounds are open to the public year round.

The palace was built by architect Nidocemus Tessin the Elder for Queen Hedvig Eleonora, but succeeding monarchs have changed it to fit their own taste and style.  Notable rooms are the bedchamber of Queen Hedvig and others pictured on this site.

The Royal Chapel was inaugurated in May 1746 where royal events have been held for over 250 years.  The Museum de Vries, housed in the old dragoon stables, features original bronze statues from Dutch sculpture Adriaen de Vries, booty that was captured and brought to Sweden in the 1700s.

Although the palace was mostly abandoned during the 1800s, it received much restoration during the 20^th century.

Drottningholm Park

The Palace Park, which has undergone many changes over the years, was established during the reign of Johan III, and at that time it was primarily a utility park where the parking lot is now.  The oldest, or baroque, garden, the one closest to the palace, dates from the time of Queen Hedvig and designed by architect Tessin and his son after French gardens which were strict and symmetrical.

At the center of the park stands the grand Hercules fountain with bronze sculptures by de Vries.  The seven cascades, a liberal free interpretation of the original Tessin cascades, lie on either side of the center avenue.

In the mid-1700s, the symmetrical design began to be abandoned for a more natural park design.  Large aviaries were built, but only one remains. Gustav III brought in this design patterned after English gardens.

The Chinese Pavilion and the Palace Theatre are separate buildings that may be seen as you stroll on the palace grounds, but require a separate admission fee to enter.

To reach the palace, cross Lake Mälaren on a century-old steamer.  Travel time is 50 minutes.  There is a restaurant on board the steamer, but riders must purchase food, not drinks only, to sit in there.  Sometimes the boat is crowded in peak season and there may not be enough seating for all passengers.  If the weather is pleasant, standing outdoors would make a memorable scenic journey.

Stockholm City Hall – Stockholm, Sweden

Stockholm’s City Hall, which stands on the eastern tip of Kungsholmen Island, is one of the most famous buildings in the world, primarily for the event held there…the venue for the Nobel Prize Banquet held December 10 every year, the anniversary of Alfred Nobel’s death.

Stockholm City Hall

After 12 years of construction, the building, built in the national romantic style with eight million red brick, was dedicated on Midsummer’s Eve 1923.  The city hall tower rises 106 meters and is topped by three crowns and the Swedish national coat of arms.  It is a workplace for politicians and civil servants.

But its greatest claim to fame is the yearly Nobel Prize Banquet.  Since 1930, with few exceptions, awards are presented first at the Stockholm Concert Hall, then 1,300 guests dine in the Blue Hall at City Hall in one of the world’s most exclusive banquets.  The Nobel Laureates and their families, the Swedish Royal family, representatives of the Swedish national government, and foreign dignitaries all participate.

Swedish Royal Family 
at Nobel Prize Banquet

In fact, the Blue Hall is not blue at all.  Architect Ragnar Östberg originally designed the room to be decorated with blue glazed tiles.  The idea was abandoned, but the name stuck.  The organ with 10,270 pipes is the largest in Scandinavia.

After the meal, guests then proceed up the stairway to the lavish Golden Hall in Stockholm’s City Hall to dance.  Here the walls are covered in more than 18 million gold and glass mosaic pieces, the work of artist Einar Forseth.  Using a Byzantine style, the mosaics depict historical figures and events from Swedish history.

The Golden Hall is dominated by the “Queen of Lake Malaren” on the northern wall which represents Stockholm being honored by the east and the west.

Other notable rooms in the City Hall include the Council Chamber where Stockholm’s city council convenes every third Monday.  This majestic room was inspired by Sweden’s Viking Age.

The Oval is an antechamber decorated with a series of five 300-year-old tapestries made in Beauvais, France.  Every Saturday, civil weddings and partnership registrations are conducted here.  If you are looking for a “quicky” wedding, this is the place…ceremonies last only five minutes!

The Prince’s Gallery runs the length of the City Hall’s south side and is lined with French windows affording a fabulous view of Lake Malaren and Sodermalm.  This panorama is reflected on the opposite wall by an al fresco called “Stockholm’s Shores” created by Prince  Eugen, artist and brother to King Gustav V.  This area is used as a reception hall for special guests.

Golden Hall

The Three Crowns Chamber was named after the three chandeliers that hang from the beamed ceiling.  The northern and southern walls are covered in silk brocades made in China.

Walk up the staircases and narrow passages of the square tower for impressive views as it is situated on the verge of the archipelago.  There is an elevator that can take you half way up.  The Tower Museum is located in the middle of the tower.

There is an admission fee to the tower that can only be purchased on the day of the visit.  Only 30 tickets are sold at a time as only 30 people can be in the tower at one time.  On good weather days, tickets sell out early.

Stockholm’s City Hall is open to the public through guided tours only.  Due to the large number of events at City Hall, tours can be cancelled.

Peppermint Candy Shops – Gränna, Sweden

The overland trip between Copenhagen, Denmark, and Stockholm, Sweden, can be quite a ride, unless you have something to “sweeten” the journey a bit…literally.

 

Making polkagris in Granna, Sweden

Tucked into the tiny town of Gränna, Sweden, is a centuries old peppermint candy tradition—the village’s only claim to fame.  The polkagris, or striped peppermint candy, has been made here for over 150 years.  Polkagris literally means “polka,” a popular dance of the day, and “pig” (you figure out the connection).

Back in 1859, a poor widow named Amalia Ericksson began to make the peppermint confection to support her and her daughter.  Today Gränna’s streets are lined with a dozen or so shops, where you can watch the candy being made and purchase the finished product.

To make polkagris, sugar, water and vinegar are mixed and heated to 150°C (302°F).  Red coloring and peppermint flavoring are added to one part, and then the colored sugar dough is added to the white sugar dough, and they are pulled and stretched and kneaded and twisted until just the right consistency.  Simple, right?

Join this blogger as she walks you through the village with her narrative and photos.  And watch a candy maker in action as he makes authentic polkagris.

Candy store in Granna

Although peppermint sticks is its claim to fame, there is quite a variety of flavors in this “candy heaven” town. 

Gränna (population 2,500 or so) sits on the eastern shores of Vättern, the second largest inland lake in Sweden, on a busy highway that runs between Gothenburg and Stockholm, which was good business for Amalia…and today’s candy makers as well.

Located less than two miles from Gränna are the ruins of Brahehus Castle built by Count Per Brahe between 1637 and 1650, but abandoned by 1680.  In 1708, the castle was destroyed by fire and never rebuilt.  From the ruins is a fantastic view of Lake Vättern and its island Visingsö.

The Round Tower -- Copenhagen, Denmark

Completed in 1642, The Round Tower, or Rundetaarn, is the oldest functioning observatory in Europe.  It was used by the University of Copenhagen until 1861, but today anyone can view the night sky through the astronomical telescope in the observatory at the top of the tower.  

The Round Tower attached to the church and library

The Round Tower was the first building in the Trinitatis Complex built by King Christian IV linked to the University Church built especially for the scholars and students of Copenhagen’s University.

Building of the tower was inspired by Denmark’s astronomical achievements thanks to the astronomer Tycho Brahe, who died in 1601.

The 40-meter tall tower was built with a unique interior 210-meter long spiral ramp which leads to the top platform.  The whitewashed spiral ramp winds itself 7.5 times around the hollow core of the tower.

On the uppermost façade there is a gilded inscription, like a rebus, which may be interpreted: Lead God, the right teaching and justice into the heart of the crowned King Christian IV, 1642.  The original draft of this written in King Christian’s own hand is housed in the Danish Record Office.

One of Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tales, The Tinder Box, written in 1835, tells the story of the soldier who meets the dog sitting on the money chests whose eyes are as big as the Round Tower. 

The spiral ramp to the top of the tower and the observatory

The ramp leads also to the library hall (its only entrance), which once housed the entire book collection of the university.  Andersen would visit here for inspiration for his works.  In 1861, the collection had outgrown the library and moved to its present location.  Restored in 1987, it is now used for exhibitions and concerts.

The two original privies still exist – one at the top and the other by the library, which has been restored but no longer in use.  You can actually go in, sit down, and have a look around the smallest room!

Although the spiral ramp is wide enough for an automobile, or horse and carriage in earlier times by Russian Tsar Peter the Great, today it ascended by foot – or by bicycle or unicycle at the annual race!  It is considered an easy climb with places to stop and rest along the way.

Today, a new attraction allows visitors to view the hollow core of the tower by walking on a floating glass floor 25 meters above ground.  The glass is 50 mm thick and can carry up to 900 kg per square meter. 

The center of the tower is from where all distances are measured in Copenhagen.  And the panoramic views are incredible!  Now enjoy a short video tour.