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Helsingør

Coordinates:56°02′10″N12°36′30″E/ 56.03611°N 12.60833°E/56.03611; 12.60833
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(Redirected fromElsinore)
"Elsinore" redirects here. For other uses, seeElsinore (disambiguation).
"Helsingor" redirects here. For other uses, seeHelsingor (disambiguation).

Helsingør
Elsinore
Helsingør waterfront in November 2006, with Kronborg Castle
Helsingør waterfront in November 2006, with Kronborg Castle
Coat of arms of Helsingør
Coat of arms
Helsingør is located in Denmark
Helsingør
Helsingør
Location in Denmark
Helsingør is located in Capital Region
Helsingør
Helsingør
Helsingør (Capital Region)
Coordinates:56°02′10″N12°36′30″E/ 56.03611°N 12.60833°E/56.03611; 12.60833
CountryDenmark
RegionCapital (Hovedstaden)
MunicipalityHelsingør
Established1420s
City charter1426
Current municipality2007-01-01
Government
• MayorBenedikte Kiær
Area
• Urban
17.9 km2(6.9 sq mi)
Elevation
8 m (26 ft)
Population
(2024)[1]
•Urban
47,945
• Urban density2,639/km2(6,830/sq mi)
• Gender[2]
23,015 males and 24,930 females
DemonymHelsingoraner
Time zoneUTC+1(CET)
• Summer (DST)UTC+2(CEST)
Postal code
3000
Area code(+45) 49
Websitewww.helsingorkommune.dk

Helsingør(/ˌhɛlsɪŋˈɜːr/HEL-sing-UR,[3][4][5]Danish:[helse̝ŋˈøɐ̯ˀ];Swedish:Helsingör), classically known in English asElsinore(/ˈɛlsɪnɔːr,ˌɛlsɪˈnɔːr/EL-sin-or, -⁠OR),[6]is a coastal city in northeasternDenmark.Helsingør Municipalityhad a population of 63,838 on 1 January 2024, making it the 23rd most populated municipality in Denmark.[7][8]Helsingør is located at the narrowest part of theØresundstrait and together withHelsingborginSweden,forms the northern reaches of theØresund Region,centered onCopenhagenandMalmö.Helsingør is a ferry city with frequent departures with theHH Ferry routewhich connects Helsingør with Helsingborg, 4 km (2.5 mi) across theØresund.

Its castleKronborgwas used byWilliam Shakespeareas the setting for his playHamlet.[9]

Etymology[edit]

The first part of the nameHelsis believed to derive from the wordhalsmeaning "neck" or "narrow strait," referring to the narrowest point of theØresund(Øre Sound) between what is now Helsingør andHelsingborgin Sweden. The wordHelsingsupposedly means "person/people who lives by the neck" andørcorresponds to old Norseaurr(gravel beach) andeyrr(sandy or gravelly shore). The city was first mentioned asHælsingørand the people asHelsingerinKing Valdemar the Victorious'sLiber Census Daniæfrom 1231 (not to be confused with the Helsings ofHälsinglandin Sweden).[10]Place names show that the Helsinger may have had their main fort atHelsingborgand a fortified landing place at Helsingør, to control the ferry route across the strait. The particularly-19th-century tradition to explain toponymies, place names, with features of the landscape does not necessarily exclude the much older tradition of reading place names as eponymous. Although an obscure legendary character, or several, Helsing is quite abundantly present in traces of lost legends in the Nordic countries.

Although probably not the first Helsing, one of the three sons ofGandalf Alfgeirsson(the antagonist ofHalfdan the Black,who was father of KingHarald Fairhair,the semi-legendary, historical first king of a feudalist Norway) is called Helsing. He was brother to Hake and Hysing Gandalfson. AlsoHelsinkiin Finland andHälsinglandinNorrland,Sweden, refers to Helsing, as "the Land of the Helsing/Helsinger," which makes the landscape-theory of the name of Helsingør less likely.

History[edit]

Kronborg Castle
Helsingør port
An alley in Helsingør

The city as it is known today was founded in the 1420s by Danish KingEric of Pomerania.He established theSound Duesin 1429, which were a toll on the use of the Øresund. Although a former toll had existed prior, the Sound Dues were paid in Helsingør providing immense wealth to the city. With the income, the king built a castle named Krogen or Ørekrog on the extreme northeastern tip of the island ofZealand.The city expanded around the castle and envelops it today. Krogen was rebuilt and expanded in the 1570s by kingFrederik IIand renamedKronborg.All ships had to stop in Helsingør to get their cargo taxed and pay a toll to the Danish Crown, which generated a significant trade for the city. In 1672, Helsingør had grown to be the third-largest town in Denmark.[11]Up until the middle of the 19th century, Helsingør was among the largest cities in the country.

The Sound Dues were abolished in 1857 with theCopenhagen Conventionin which all seafaring nations agreed to pay a one-time fee. The abolishment was a huge loss for the city; the following decades saw a slow growth in population.

The oldest known fortified building of Helsingør isFlynderborg,an early medieval fortress on a hill just south of the medieval city.

Around 1200, the first church,Saint Olaf's Church,was built.[12]

A number of convents once surrounded the church, but now all that remains is the church building, today the cathedral of theDiocese of Helsingør.The oldest parts of the cathedral of Helsingør date back to the 13th century and show that the fishing village, as Helsingør was then, had grown to a town of importance.

Johan Isaksson Pontanus(Rerum Danicarum Historica,1631) attributes a long and partially-fictitious history to Helsingør.

DuringWorld War II,Helsingør was among the most important transport points for the rescue of Denmark'sJewishpopulation during theHolocaust.Adolf Hitlerhad ordered that all Danish Jews were to be arrested and deported to theconcentration campsonRosh HaShanah,the Jewish New Year, which fell on 2 October 1943. WhenGeorg Ferdinand Duckwitz,a diplomatic attaché ofNazi Germanyto Denmark, received word of the order on 28 September 1943, he shared it with political and Jewish community leaders. Using the nameElsinore Sewing Club(Danish:Helsingør Syklub) as a cover for messages, the Danish population formed anUnderground Railroadof sorts that moved Jews away from the closely watchedCopenhagendocks to spots further away, especially Helsingør, just two miles across theØresundtoHelsingborg,in neutralSweden.Hundreds of civilians hid their fellow Danish Jewish citizens in their houses, farm lofts and churches until they could board them onto Danish fishing boats, personal pleasure boats and ferry boats. Over the course of three nights, Danes had smuggled over 7,200 Jews and 680 non-Jews (family members of Jews or political activists) across the Øresund to safety in Helsingborg andMalmöin Sweden.[13]

Transport[edit]

The car ferry line between Helsingør andHelsingborg,Scania,Swedenis the busiest in the world with more than 70 departures in each direction every day.[14]The route is known as theHH Ferry routeand has been sailed by several shipping lines throughout history. TheHelsingør ferry terminalis connected to the town'smain railway station.From the station, trains depart toCopenhagenevery 20 minutes. Trains also depart toHillerødandGilleleje.There are another six stations or train stops within the city and connected suburbs. Apart fromHelsingør Station and Ferry TerminalalsoSnekkersten,Espergærde,Mørdrupand the train stops on the line to Gilleleje,Grønnehave,MarienlystandHøjstrup.[15][16]

TheE47 motorwaytowards Copenhagen begins just outside the city limits. The town and surrounding areas also have a network of local and regional buses.[16][17]

Industrialisation[edit]

For a century theHelsingør Værftor Elsinore shipyard was a prominent landmark, which covered the whole area between the town and Kronborg Castle. It was founded in 1882. At its height in 1957, it had 3,600 employees. The last ship left the shipyard in 1983 and it closed the same year following substantial losses.

TheWiibroebrewery, founded in 1840, was the second brewery in Denmark to ship bottled beer, just three years afterCarlsberg.The last beer was brewed atWiibroein Helsingør in 1998.Carlsbergcontinues to brew beer under the Wiibroe Årgangsøl[18]label.

Post-industrialisation[edit]

Culture Harbour Kronborg

After the end of the industrial era, the town of Helsingør had to redefine itself, and came up with an ambitious project:Kulturhavn Kronborg,literally "Culture-harbour of Kronborg". It officially opened on 26 May 2013, intended to appeal to tourists with an interest in culture. The main attraction ofKulturhavn KronborgisKronborg Castle,aUNESCOWorld Heritage Site.Besides the historical attractions of the site,William Shakespeare's playHamlethas been performed annually in its courtyard since 1937. There is a longstanding tradition of performing the play in English, and notable actors in the title role have includedLaurence Olivier,John Gielgud,Christopher Plummer,Derek Jacobi,and in 2009Jude Law.At the heart ofKulturhavn Kronborglieskulturværftetor The Culture Yard, a new cultural centre and a public library located in the olddockyard.It opened in 2010. The formerdry docknow houses theDanish Maritime Museum.

In the centre of the harbour basin stands the polished steel sculptureHan(He) by artist duoElmgreen and Dragset,commissioned by the City of Helsingør in 2012. It was inaugurated by then Minister of culture,Uffe Elbæk,in June 2012. It is seen as the counterpart (and even little brother) toEdvard Eriksen's world-famousThe Little Mermaidstatue inCopenhagen,and has caused both praise and protests among locals.

The Swedish city ofHelsingborglies a short distance across theØresundfrom Helsingør, approximately 4 km (2 mi).European route E55joins the two cities;ferriesconnect the two sides.

Music[edit]

Buxtehude playing a viol

Dieterich Buxtehudeorganist and composer of the Baroque period. He was born Diderich Buxtehude presumably in Helsingborg, he serving as organist from 1660 to 1668 in Helsingør as his father that held the position as organist at St. Olaf's cathedral.

Diderich Buxtehude's compositions and style became of significant influence, among others, on his studentJohann Sebastian Bach.

Architecture[edit]

Helsingør City Hall

The newDanish Maritime Museumwas designed by Danish prize-winning architectsBjarke Ingels Group(BIG).

Jørn Utzonlived in Helsingør in his youth because his father was an engineer atHelsingør Værft.Utzon designed:His own house(1952), TheKingo Houses(1956–60) and The Hammershøj Care Centre (1962) in the city. The project was completed by Birger Schmidt (1966) after Utzon moved to Sydney to work on theSydney Opera House.

Notable people[edit]

Public service[edit]

Johan Isaksen Pontanus

Arts[edit]

Ove Verner Hansen 2013
Jan Grarup, 2017

Science and business[edit]

Sophie Brahe, 1602

Sport[edit]

Mikkel Hansen, 2016

Districts[edit]

Centrum

Twin towns – sister cities[edit]

Helsingør practicestwinningon the municipal level. For the twin towns, seetwin towns of Helsingør Municipality.

In fiction and popular culture[edit]

  • William Shakespeare's playHamlet(whence the English spelling "Elsinore" derives) takes place mostly atKronborg Castlein Helsingør.
  • In the 1983 comedyStrange Brew,which is loosely based onHamlet,the protagonists are given jobs at Elsinore Brewery.
  • InPatrick O'Brian'sAubrey–Maturin series,Helsingør firesmortar shellsat the heroes in book seven, The Surgeon's Mate, as they sail past on their way to a rendezvous in the Baltic.
  • In the second chapter ofPhilip Roth's novelOur Gang(1971), Trick E. Dixon in a fictive speech tries to claim Helsingør as US-territory and tries to convince the audience to occupy the area
  • InBret Easton Ellis's novelLunar Park,the street on which the character Bret Easton Ellis lives, with his own haunting father-son issues, is called Helsingør Lane.
  • Several stories written by the Danish authorKaren Blixen(or Isak Dinesen) take place in Helsingør, including "The Supper at Elsinore" in her first published volume of stories,Seven Gothic Tales.
  • A well-known poem by the Portuguesesurrealist poetMário Cesarinyis named "You are welcome to Helsingør".
  • Children's authorRichard Scarrydepicted Helsingør as "A Castle in Denmark" in the bookBusy, Busy World.
  • Indie-rock bandThe Essex Greenrecorded a song titled "Elsinore" for their 2006 albumCannibal Sea.
  • InDavid Brin's novelThe Postman,the first chapter features an apparition that appears to protagonist Gordon Krantz. It is described as an "Elsinorian figure" and greets Gordon with "Alas, poor Gordon!", both allusions toHamlet.
  • Surrealist artistRené Magrittehas a painting named after the city, depicting a castle, which might be modelled on Elsinore Castle.
  • Thedetective showThe Sommerdahl Murdersis set in Helsingør[29]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^BY3: Population 1. January by urban areas, area and population densityArchived25 October 2019 at theWayback MachineThe Mobile Statbank fromStatistics Denmark
  2. ^BY1: Population 1. January by urban areas, age and sexThe Mobile Statbank fromStatistics Denmark
  3. ^"Helsingør".The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language(5th ed.). HarperCollins.Retrieved8 February2019.
  4. ^"Helsingør".LexicoUS English Dictionary.Oxford University Press.Archived fromthe originalon 3 February 2020.
  5. ^"Helsingør".Merriam-Webster Dictionary.Retrieved8 February2019.
  6. ^"Elsinore Definition & Meaning | Dictionary".
  7. ^"Population 1. January by urban areas (DISCONTINUED) - StatBank Denmark - data and statistics".Statistikbanken.dk.Archivedfrom the original on 12 June 2018.Retrieved15 December2017.
  8. ^"Kommuner i Danmark efter indbyggertal",Wikipedia, den frie encyklopædi(in Danish), 18 December 2023,retrieved26 February2024
  9. ^Bolt, Rodney (5 February 2016)."Shakespeare's Danish links".The Telegraph.Archivedfrom the original on 4 February 2018.Retrieved6 April2018– via telegraph.co.uk.
  10. ^early records of Helsingør and Flynderborg ( "possibly already mentioned by Saxo" ): J. D. Qvist,Annaler for nordisk oldkyndighed,Kongelige Nordiske oldskriftselskab, 1836,p. 306Archived26 February 2015 at theWayback Machine
  11. ^"Danske byers historie gennem 1300 år"(PDF).Byhistorie.dk.Archived(PDF)from the original on 6 July 2016.Retrieved15 December2017.
  12. ^"Helsingør Turistbureau - Victoria Design".Visithelsingor.dk.Archived fromthe originalon 28 August 2006.Retrieved21 October2009.
  13. ^Streit, Katie."Rescue of the Danish Jews: Evacuation & Effects".study.Archivedfrom the original on 24 November 2018.Retrieved23 November2018.
  14. ^"Helsingborg ferry, compare prices, times and book tickets".Directferries.co.uk.Archivedfrom the original on 6 July 2014.Retrieved15 December2017.
  15. ^Google maps
  16. ^ab"Forside - DOT"(PDF).Moviatrafik.dk.Archived(PDF)from the original on 14 April 2015.Retrieved15 December2017.
  17. ^"Forside - DOT".Moviatrafik.dk.Archivedfrom the original on 1 January 2016.Retrieved15 December2017.
  18. ^"Carlsberg Group - Wiibroe Årgangsøl".Carlsberggroup.Archivedfrom the original on 4 July 2016.Retrieved15 December2017.
  19. ^Sandvad, Karin."Olivia Nielsen (1852 - 1910)"(in Danish). Kvinfo.Archivedfrom the original on 11 September 2016.Retrieved31 August2016.
  20. ^IMDb DatabaseArchived17 February 2017 at theWayback Machineretrieved 29 June 2020
  21. ^IMDb DatabaseArchived17 February 2017 at theWayback Machineretrieved 29 June 2020
  22. ^IMDb DatabaseArchived1 June 2019 at theWayback Machineretrieved 30 June 2020
  23. ^IMDb DatabaseArchived18 April 2017 at theWayback Machineretrieved 29 June 2020
  24. ^IMDb DatabaseArchived18 September 2019 at theWayback Machineretrieved 30 June 2020
  25. ^IMDb DatabaseArchived18 March 2017 at theWayback Machineretrieved 29 June 2020
  26. ^IMDb DatabaseArchived8 September 2019 at theWayback Machineretrieved 30 June 2020
  27. ^IMDb DatabaseArchived6 May 2017 at theWayback Machineretrieved 29 June 2020
  28. ^IMDb DatabaseArchived13 February 2020 at theWayback Machineretrieved 30 June 2020
  29. ^"The Sommerdahl Murderson IMDb ".IMDb.Archivedfrom the original on 30 August 2020.Retrieved23 May2020.

External links[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related toHelsingør.
Wikivoyage has a travel guide forHelsingør.
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