Frederiksborg Slot & Barokhaven

The castles of Royal North Zealand

Photo: Ann Jørgensen

My home is my castle - and my castle is in North Zealand!

We call this part of Denmark for Royal North Zealand for a reason. Nowhere else in Denmark, you find this many castles that close to each other. One of them was made world famous by Shakespeare as Hamlet's Castle. One of them is still in use by the Royal Danish Family as their summer residence and one of them is the Museum of National History - and we can go on like this.

Did you know that when Frederik II lived at Kronborg Castle, he was famous all over Europe for his lavish parties? Everybody wanted to attend and the story goes that a British group of actors visited and were so excited that they went back to London and asked the most famous writer to write a play situated at Kronborg, so they could go back to this lively place. And so the writer did - Hamlet!

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Frederiksborg Castle is beautifully situated on three small islets in the castle lake in Hillerød. Inside the castle walls, great cultural experiences await the whole family, while the beautiful natural surroundings invite you to peaceful garden walks and sailing trips.

The Danish King Christian 4th built Frederiksborg Castle at the beginning of the 17th century, and it is the largest Renaissance construction in Scandinavia. The new buildings were meant to enhance and strengthen the position of Christian 4th as a powerful European monarch. Therefore the castle is richly ornamented with symbolic and decorative elements. 

The Museum of National History has been housed in Frederiksborg Castle since 1878. The museum was founded on the initiative of the founder of Carlsberg, brewer J. C. Jacobsen, and it tells 500 years of Danish history through a rich collection of portraits, historical paintings, furniture, and applied art. Frederiksborg Castle and Baroque Garden

Kronborg Castle in Elsinore, where the Sound between Denmark and Sweden is narrowest, you find Kronborg castle, located next to the strait, surrounded by a vast fortification with bastions and cannon batteries. The castle is on UNESCO's World Heritage list and has a dramatic and fascinating history and is worth a visit. See Frederik d. 2's magnificent dance hall, enjoy the splendid tapestries and greet Holger Danske in the skinny casemates deep below the castle.

Every summer you can experience Hamlet Live in the corridors and in August, a Shakespeare Festival takes place with the castle as a magnificent background. 

Fredensborg Palace is the regents most used residence. The beautiful 18th-century baroque palace was built as a hunting palace for Frederik IV and is today often the setting for large official state visits and family events in the royal family. 

Dining as royalties

Close to all the castles, there is a huge variety of restaurants, cafe's and other sites, and we will be happy to guide you to what fits your clients best. If you wish, special dinners can also be arranged at an example Kronborg Castle, and we can even have the canons fired in your honour.

For inspiration please have a look at our list here: The Taste of Royal North Zealand