Kronborg Castle in Elsinore, north of Copenhagen, is one of northern Europe's finest Renaissance castles. It is located at the entrance to Øresund and was built in 1574-1585.
Kronborg Castle is probably the most famous Danish castle, known worldwide from Shakespeare's Hamlet.
Hamlet's spirit is still roaming the hallways of Kronborg, and every summer you can experience Hamlet Scene perform Hamlet on an open-air stage in the courtyard.
Frederik 2's Kronborg is at once an elegant castle and a monumental military fortress surrounded by considerable fortifications with bastions and ravelins. It has not been inhabited by the royal family since the late 1600's.
The castle houses collections of Renaissance and Baroque interiors, and among the main attractions is the 62-meter ballroom, the very well-preserved chapel and the mythological statue of Holger Danske below the castle.
Queen Caroline Mathilde under house arrest
In 1772 Kronborg Castle played a minor role in the fatal drama between the insane King Christian 7, his wife Queen Caroline Mathilde and her secret lover Johan Friedrich Struensee.
After the arrest of Struensee in Copenhagen 17 January 1772, Caroline Mathilde was taken to Kronborg Castle, where she was under house arrest for a period of time. Her fate was long uncertain.
She was accused of infidelity, and although her defender Peter Uldall did what he could, she was convicted, divorced from the king and banished to the town of Celle in northern Germany. She never saw her children again and died a few years later of an epidemic.
A trip to Kronborg is the perfect start to a day in Elsinore. With Copenhagen Card you can also visit the Maritime Museum, the Øresound Aquarium and much much.
From 1785-1923 Kronborg Castle was inhabited by the Danish military. The castle was added to UNESCO's World Heritage List in 2000.
Closed Dec 24, 25 and 31
M/S Maritime Museum of Denmark
M/S Maritime Museum in Elsinore is one of the most talked about museums in recent years. It has been named ‘A cutting-edge cultural venue’ by New York Times and ‘One of the eight greatest new museums’ by BBC. A sensory experience awaits with stunning architecture and modern, interactive exhibitions.
From a distance it is almost invisible, but below sealevel - in the middle of the newly renovated Culture Harbour and next door to Kronborg Castle - lies the Danish Maritime Museum, M/S Maritime Museum of Denmark. If you follow the sloping bridges into the old dry dock, you will experience one of the most spectacular new buildings in Denmark of the recent years.
M/S Maritime Museum of Denmark tells the story of Denmark as one of the world's leading maritime nations in an evocative and dramatic way. The setting is innovative and created by the award-winning design studio BIG - Bjarke Ingels Group.
Eight different themes
You can experience the story of Denmark as one of the world's leading maritime nations through eight different themes. You can look forward to the museum's rich maritime collection on display in an evocative and dramatic staging with major film projections and soundscapes.
At the museum, you can get lost in films, objects and texts for hours – or you can walk through the exhibitions in 20 minutes and still get a glimpse of shipping's past and present, its structures and elements. Many people see maritime history as a niche, but we try to open up history and tell stories of love, death, courage, science and drama
Experience seafaring up close in the 400 m2 maritime play universe ‘THE DREAM SHIP’ which encourage play, adventure and stories amongst children, parents and grandparents. ‘THE DREAM SHIP’ is supported by the Nordea Foundation and the Lauritzen Foundation. You can, among other things, come face to face with a torpedo, get an old sailor tattoo and see the world's largest model of a container ship.
Furthermore, the M/S Café offers lunch, hot and cold beverages and a selection of cakes. The museum shop M/S Cargo sells a wide variety of books, clothes, applied arts and toys related to the maritime world.
Special Exhibition: Pristine Seas
Opens on the 29th of february, 2024
The goal of National Geographic’s Pristine Seas project is to help protect the ocean’s vital and wildest places.
Pristine Seas is working with Indigenous peoples and local communities, governments, nonprofit partners, and businesses to help establish 40 new marine reserves and protect at least 30 percent of the ocean by 2030.
Related Attractions
Experience Frederiksborg Castle and Museum of National History with magnificent halls, portraits, history paintings, and special exhibitions, located just 35 minutes north of Copenhagen. The impressive Renaissance castle was built by Christian IV to showcase the king's power. With its fairytale-like location in the middle of the Castle Lake, surrounded by the Baroque Garden and the romantic landscape garden, Frederiksborg Castle offers a unique destination with great cultural experiences, garden walks, and boat trips with the Little Ferry on the Castle Lake throughout the summer. Museum of National History Museum and National Portrait Gallery Christian IV's (1588-1648) magnificent castle from the early 17th century now serves as the framework for more than 500 years of stories and myths that shaped Denmark into what it is today. Frederiksborg Castle is both Museum of National History and the National Portrait Gallery, where hundreds of portraits give faces to individuals who have shaped Denmark's history. The portrait collection is the country's largest and most significant, and the collection of paintings, busts, drawings, and photographs is continuously supplemented with new works. History paintings also communicate important national events.
Experience the pomp and splendor of bygone times up close. The museum's fine period interiors and the castle's impressive grand rooms, such as the Castle Church, the Great Hall, and the Audience Hall, provide insight into changing periods and styles. Additionally, changing special exhibitions on portrait art and the history of both Denmark and Frederiksborg Castle are shown each year. The museum has been housed at Frederiksborg Castle since 1878 when it was established by the founder of Carlsberg, brewer J.C. Jacobsen, after a devastating fire in 1859. The museum continues to operate as a department of the Carlsberg Foundation.
Frederiksborg for children Experience Frederiksborg Castle from a child's perspective with one of the museum's treasure hunts or the children's audio guide. During holiday seasons, there are special activities for children. Visit dnm.dk for current activities.
Make the most of your visit Download the Smartify app for the museum’s audio guides. Use the app to scan and explore portraits and paintings. Download the app before your visit to be well-prepared. Also, keep an eye out for the museum's podcast PORTRÆT, which delves into both the castle and its collection. Dine at Rabarbergaarden Slottet The museum's restaurant, Rabarbergaarden Slottet (meaning the Rhubarb farm at the castle) brings the flavors of North Zealand to the table. Enjoy a gastronomic experience with local, organic ingredients from the sustainable farm-to-table kitchen. The restaurant is located in a former carriage port and stable building, offering views of both a lake and the castle at Northern Europe's largest Renaissance complex. The Castle Gardens Frederiksborg Castle was completed by creating gardens around the grand building complex. Christian IV had his own garden, but in 1720, architect J. Krieger was commissioned to create a Baroque garden. The Baroque Garden was recreated in the 1990s. The lowest terraces in the garden feature four monograms in tightly trimmed hedges: Frederik IV, Frederik V, Christian VI, and Margrethe II. These are the four monarchs under whom the garden has existed, from its establishment by Frederik IV to its restoration in Queen Margrethe's time. However, the Baroque Garden is not the only garden at the castle. Next to the Baroque Garden is the romantic, English-inspired garden, where a small Bath House Castle is also located. With its small lakes and groves, the romantic garden is designed to convey moods and showcase the beauty of nature. In contrast, the Baroque Garden with its straight lines and sharp edges represents the beauty that lies in human control over nature. Getting There The museum is open every day of the year. It takes approximately 35 minutes to drive from Copenhagen. If you are coming by train, the easiest way to reach Frederiksborg is via the S-train line A. It takes about 15 minutes to walk from Hillerød Station. You can walk along the Castle Lake or through the city's pedestrian streets with cafes and shops.
Special Exhibitions:
12/01 2024 - 21/04 2024: Images of a queen
Frederiksborg commemorates the succession to the throne with an exhibition featuring portraits of Her Majesty Queen Margrethe. Explore Andy Warhol’s iconic glitter-adorned silk screen print portrait of Her Majesty, official portraits such as Rigmor Mydtskov’s photographic portrait from 1972, as well as a wide range of photographs, paintings, and drawings created between 1940 and 2022. From gala events at Fredensborg to gray weather on the beach, Her Majesty is depicted as introspective, dreamy, and creatively expressive. The young heir and Princess Margrethe. Her Majesty in different stages of life and situations.
The Viking Ships in Roskilde
The Viking Ship Museum exhibits the five 1000-year-old original ship finds from the Viking Age (the Skuldelev Ships) as well as a fleet of sailing reconstructions. Several of these reconstructions and other Nordic boats are also available to sail in. You can also meet the craftsmen who keep up the traditions of the old maritime trades, and you can try your hand with axes, ropes and many other activities.
The permanent exhibitions are focused on the five Skuldelev Ships. The goal of these exhibits is to tell the story of these ships and of the many Nordic maritime adventures during the Viking Age. The five original Viking ships stand majestically with the Roskilde Fjord as a living backdrop. With this view, it becomes easy to imagine how the merchant set off for distant shores with his goods, the warriors waved goodbye to their families before the voyage and the fisherman embarked on the fjord with the hope of returning with a good catch.
Sailing trips on Roskilde Fjord - Climb on board!
Board a Viking ship and get up close!The Museum is the only place in the world where you can experience seeing 1000-year-old Viking ships, and then go directly out to the Museum harbor, where the full-scale reconstructed Viking ships lie moored at the quayside. The Viking Ship Museum invites its guests to take part in unique sailing trips with either Viking ships or traditional Nordic boats, which are the descendants of the Vikings' ships. Viking ships were originally used for war, trading, fishing and transport during short every day trips or on longer voyages to foreign shores.
We go sailing on Roskilde Fjord every day with pre-booked corporate groups, school children and international group visitors. Take your family or friends with you for a special experience in an historical context, but with modern safety standards.
You buy your ticket as an addition to the entrance ticket and during the summer season timeslots are posted and updated daily on our website.
Take a walk through Danish war history from the 1500s until today, and explore the treasure trove of equipment from samurai swords and medals to ship models and massive howitzers. Experience life as a deployed soldier as you step into Danish military camps from Afghanistan. Stay alert in the watch tower, and climb into an actual PMV hit by a roadside bomb. Also, get an overview of Danish war history. From knights in shining armour, wars with the Swedish and the English, to World War II, the Cold War and the war in Iraq. Or relax in the hammocks as you hear stories from the seven seas. The Danish War Museum is located in king Christian IVs arsenal on Slotsholmen in the heart of Copenhagen. When the arsenal was completed in 1604 it consisted of a war harbour, an arsenal and armoury, a provisions building with a bakery and a brewery, and an array of different workshops.
We will take you on an exciting journey through the past 500 years of Denmark’s wars – from famous battles against Sweden and England to Afghanistan.
The Øresund Aquarium (Øresundsakvariet) in Elsinore, north of Copenhagen, is a part of the University of Copenhagen’s museums and also an information and research center for water environment – and a ”must see” for everybody interested in the marine life in the Danish waters.
The aquarium is a locally placed saltwater aquarium specialized in the marine life in Oresund (Øresund). It is placed close to the northern harbor of Elsinore and with the sound as a close neighbor.
Visiting the aquarium will give you a thorough insight into the colorful and fascinating world, which is found on the seabed of the Danish waters and fiords.
Touch pools for children and grown-ups
The Øresund Aquarium is equipped with four different types of aquariums: biotope aquariums, theme aquariums, the touch pool for grown-ups (with for example rays and small sharks) and the very popular children’s touch pool, where children can touch crabs, sea stars and flatfish.
The Water Laboratory – a small piece of Øresund
At the harbor – approximately a one-minute walk from the aquarium – you will find the new outdoor Water Laboratory. Here we show you a small natural piece of Øresund.
It is established with stone reef, sand beds and banks of seaweed and you can experience lots of exciting fish and crabs. The Øresund Aquarium often puts new fish and animals into the basin, so there is always something to look at and study.
Activities at the aquarium
During school holidays the Øresund Aquarium organizes several activities for children and their families, for example, crab-catching at the Water Laboratory, special ”Touch living sea creatures”-events and dissections of various sea animals.
We also offer boat trips on the Øresund where we are watching for the small whale – the porpoise – as well as the elusive tuna fish and wild seabirds.
Please note that the aquarium is closed on the 24th, 25th & 31st of December + 1st of January
The Frigate Peder Skram will open again in April 2024
Peder Skram was part of the Royal Danish Navy from 1966-1988. Peder Skram was the first large warship in the world to use a combination of gas turbines and diesel engines for propulsion. It could reach a speed of approximately 30 knots (55 km/h or 34 mp/h) using gas turbines.
In case of war the frigate was a heavily armed flagship in the defense of the Baltic coast of Germany and the Danish islands against a naval invasion from the Warsaw Pact. The coordination of Operation Hurricane, large scale air raids, and missile attacks on hostile landing forces, was to be coordinated from the combat information center of Peder Skram.
Onboard the frigate you can experience the life of Danish naval personnel during the Cold War. You can witness how the 200 crewmembers of a Navy Flagship lived and worked every day. You can visit different stations: the combat information center, engine room, galley, bridge and even the gun turret.