Helsingør

Helsingør is a coastal city in northeastern Denmark. It is located at the narrowest part of the Øresund strait and, together with Helsingborg in Sweden, forms the northern part of the Øresund Region, which is centered on Copenhagen and Malmö.

The city is well known for its frequent ferry services, especially on the HH Ferry route, which connects Helsingør with Helsingborg just across the water.

One of Helsingør's most famous landmarks is the castle Kronborg. This historic place was used by William Shakespeare as the setting for his famous play Hamlet.

Etymology

The name Helsingør starts with Hels, which comes from the word hals meaning 'neck' or 'narrow strait'. This refers to the narrow part of the Øresund between what is now Helsingør and Helsingborg in Sweden. The word Helsing means 'people who live by the neck', and ør comes from old Norse words for 'gravel beach' and 'sandy shore'.

The city was first written down as Hælsingør in King Valdemar the Victorious’s book from 1231. Some stories from long ago in the Nordic countries mention a character named Helsing, which may be where the name comes from. Places like Helsinki in Finland and Hälsingland in Norrland, Sweden, also refer to this name.

History

The city of Helsingør was founded in the 1420s by Danish King Eric of Pomerania. He created a toll called the Sound Dues in 1429 for ships using the Øresund strait, which brought great wealth to the city. The king built a castle named Krogen, which was later rebuilt and renamed Kronborg by King Frederik II in the 1570s. All ships had to stop here to pay their tolls, which helped the city grow and become busier with trade.

During World War II, Helsingør played a key role in helping Denmark's Jewish people escape danger. When plans were made to harm Jewish people, locals worked together to hide them and help them travel safely to Sweden across the Øresund. Many people risk their safety to save others, showing great courage and kindness.

Transport

The car ferry line between Helsingør and Helsingborg in Sweden is the busiest in the world, with more than 70 departures each day in both directions. This route is called the HH Ferry route and has been used by many shipping lines over time. The Helsingør ferry terminal connects to the town's main railway station, where trains leave for Copenhagen every 20 minutes. Trains also go to Hillerød and Gilleleje, with several other stations and stops around the city.

The E47 motorway starts just outside the city and there is a network of local and regional buses. Plans are underway for a tunnel between Helsingør and Helsingborg in Sweden, though it is still in the early stages.

Industrialisation

The Elsinore shipyard was an important place in Helsingør. It was started in 1882 and had many workers, with over 3,600 people working there in 1957. The last ship left in 1983, and the shipyard closed that same year.

There was also a brewery called Wiibroe in Helsingør, started in 1840. It was the second brewery in Denmark to sell beer in bottles. The last beer was made there in 1998. Today, Carlsberg still makes beer using the Wiibroe name.

Post-industrialisation

After the end of the industrial era, the town of Helsingør created a new project called Kulturhavn Kronborg, meaning "Culture-harbour of Kronborg". It opened on 26 May 2013 to attract visitors interested in culture. The main attraction is Kronborg Castle, a special place chosen by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. Every year since 1937, William Shakespeare’s play Hamlet is performed in the castle’s courtyard. The performances have been in English for a long time, with famous actors like Laurence Olivier, John Gielgud, Christopher Plummer, Derek Jacobi, and Jude Law playing the main role.

At the heart of Kulturhavn Kronborg is kulturværftet, or The Culture Yard, a new cultural centre and public library in an old dockyard. It opened in 2010. The old dry dock now holds the Danish Maritime Museum.

In the middle of the harbour stands a shiny steel sculpture called Han (He) by artists Elmgreen and Dragset. The city of Helsingør asked them to make it in 2012, and it was shown to the public by the culture minister, Uffe Elbæk, in June that year. Many people think it is like a smaller version of Edvard Eriksen’s famous The Little Mermaid statue in Copenhagen, and it has gotten both support and protests from local people.

The Swedish city of Helsingborg is just across the Øresund from Helsingør, about 4 km away. The road European route E55 links the two cities, and ferries travel between them.

Music

Dieterich Buxtehude was a musician and composer from the Baroque period. He was born in Helsingborg and worked as an organist in Helsingør from 1660 to 1668, just like his father who was also an organist at St. Olaf's cathedral. Buxtehude’s music and style greatly influenced many others, including his student Johann Sebastian Bach.

Architecture

The new Danish Maritime Museum was designed by famous Danish architects Bjarke Ingels Group, known for winning many prizes.

Jørn Utzon, who grew up in Helsingør, designed several important buildings there. These include his own house from 1952, the Kingo Houses from 1956 to 1960, and the Hammershøj Care Centre from 1962. After Utzon moved to Sydney to help build the famous Sydney Opera House, another architect named Birger Schmidt finished the project in 1966.

Notable people

Public service

This section lists many important people from Helsingør who worked in public service. They include clergy members, governors, military leaders, and politicians who helped shape Denmark and its history.

Arts

Many talented artists have come from Helsingør. These include painters, photographers, writers, and actors who have made their mark in Danish and international culture.

Science and business

Helsingør has also been home to scientists, business leaders, and inventors. These individuals have contributed to fields such as astronomy, medicine, engineering, and trade.

Sport

Several athletes from Helsingør have achieved great success in sports. They have competed in the Olympics and other major events, bringing pride to their hometown.

Districts

Centrum is the central area of Helsingør. It has different parts:

• North: Grønnehave (Green Gardens), Højstrup and Marienlyst, Hellebæk, Ålsgårde and Hornbæk
• West: Sundparken, Grøningen, Nøjsomheden, Vapnagård, Gurre, Nygård, Tikøb
• South: Skotterup and Snekkersten and Espergærde

Twin towns – sister cities

Helsingør has partnerships with other cities, called twinning, to work together and share ideas. You can find more details about these partner cities in the article about the twin towns of Helsingør Municipality.

In fiction and popular culture

William Shakespeare’s famous play Hamlet is set mainly at Kronborg Castle in Helsingør, which is why the city is sometimes called Elsinore in English.

Helsingør has appeared in many other stories and artworks. For example, in the funny movie Strange Brew, characters work at a brewery named Elsinore. The city also shows up in books, poems, songs, and paintings by well-known writers and artists like Patrick O'Brian, Philip Roth, Bret Easton Ellis, Karen Blixen, Mário Cesariny, Richard Scarry, The Essex Green, David Brin, and René Magritte. Even a detective show called The Sommerdahl Murders takes place in Helsingør.