Kronborg: Power of the Danish Royal

Kronborg’s history dates back to the 15th century when the Danish King, Eric of Pomerania built a stronghold at the northeastern tip of Zealand. He wanted to control all navigation through the Øresund – a strategically important stretch of water between Denmark and Sweden. The king insisted that all ships entering or leaving the Baltic Sea passing through this strait had to pay a toll, bringing an immense fortune to Denmark.

In the next century, King Frederik II transformed the fortification into an outstanding Renaissance castle with sandstone ornaments, spires, towers, and copper roofs. The building resembles a king crown with four wings surrounding a spacious courtyard. That’s why it was named Kronborg, which means the “Crown Castle”.

From the 16th century to the end of the 19th century, Kronborg was admired for its beauty as a royal castle and feared for its strength as a seemingly impregnable fortress. The only occasion that the castle fell was the assault of the Swedish army in 1658. Afterward, the defenses were strengthened with a new series of ramparts, loopholes, and cannons, making it the strongest fortress in Northern Europe.

By controlling the Øresund, Kronborg played an important role in the history of this region. During this period more than 1.8 million ships passed through this strait and all of them had to pay a toll at this fortress. The Øresund tax was not only a huge source of income; it was also considered as a political instrument. For this reason, Kronborg became a symbol of Denmark’s power.