a visit to the play's setting in Denmark brings a new dimension to the tragedy There's a cold wind blowing from the Øresund Sound as I stand on a platform in front of Kronborg Castle in Helsingør a pillar-box red guard post stands beside a row of impressive cannons facing the strait I'm not here for the view though: I'm looking for ghosts This windy spot is the exact location for the opening scene of Hamlet switch posts in the middle of the night and speak of the ghost of Hamlet's father a grand Renaissance pile built in 1574 complete with fairytale turrets is where the rest of the lurid drama unfolds the last time the RSC staged Hamlet was back in 2016 "There's something in the air right now saying that the play has resonance," says Tamara Harvey noting that all three producers had approached the RSC to stage their productions in the same year As a play that deals with themes of generational differences and changing world orders not to mention the sense that "there's something rotten in the state of Denmark" – the idea that society's foundations no longer feel secure – it's hard to miss its appeal nothing looks rotten in Helsingør – the modern-day name for Shakespeare's town of Elsinore The sky is blue and the sun is glinting off a gold flag flying at the top of one of the turrets I'm on a tour with castle host Louise Older Steffensen to uncover Kronborg's Hamlet connections Our feet echo as we walk around the stone corridors and into the grand ballroom with its chequerboard floor and soaring wooden ceiling as she tells me there is no evidence that Shakespeare ever visited Kronborg – but he certainly knew it well "We have contracts that tell us that Shakespeare's colleagues visited the castle," she says George Bryan and William Kempe were here for a season they set up the Lord Chamberlain's Men They may have brought back tales of what happened within its walls A distinctive celebration is mentioned in the play: a toast followed by the bang of a kettle drum and a cannon – and it comes from a tradition followed in the castle at that time the tapestries from that era are on display their gilded threads depicting mythologised kings Long curtains hang around the queen's bedchamber and around the castle dampening sound and making it a fraction warmer – as well as providing opportunities for dramatic intrigue Visiting the castle feels like being immersed in the play, walking down the large gallery where the silk dresses of the ladies-in-waiting would have rustled into its beautifully preserved church. It's as if the play itself has come to life, and the castle plays up to that theatricality. In the summer, special tours invite guests to participate in Hamlet-inspired murder mystery-style tours Hallowe'en tours take place in the creepy basements has seen the ghost of Hamlet's father – but there have been other ghostly sightings according to Steffensen and assorted castle guides More clues about the importance of this castle to Shakespeare emerge as Steffensen gives me a history lesson James I married Denmark's teenage princess When Queen Elizabeth I died in 1603 and King James ascended to the throne "The first quarto – written very early in 1603 – is set in Denmark," said Steffensen "but there are no specific locations in it we get references to the castle itself." King James became the patron of Shakespeare's company and their name changed from "The Lord Chamberlain's Men" to "The King's Men" in 1603 Queen Anne's castle in Denmark became an important location for the royal family and thus gained a starring role in the play a large flat space in a corner of the castle Views reach across the moat to the yellow barracks buildings around it and to the town beyond It's in one of these barracks buildings the former infirmary that is now the headquarters of the town's Shakespeare Festival where I find out more about the legacy of Hamlet in Helsingør Lars Romann Engel, CEO and artistic director of HamletScenen the castle's professional theatre body welcomes me into a hallway-cum-gallery of Hamlet actors through the decades Richard Burton and Christopher Plummer cover the walls and stairwell the festival typically also produces a lighter Shakespeare work Both plays are performed in the open air with the castle as a backdrop; tickets book out a long way in advance and the audience typically shows up with a picnic • Nordhavn: The Danish 'city' that's been designed for an easy life • Denmark's surf town where old-school fishermen and surfers live in harmony • Copenhagen's 'CopenPay' scheme rewards tourists – but does it actually work? A trained theatre director himself, Engel directed a very successful adaptation of Hamlet in 2008, set in the castle's courtyard with tumbledown walls and crumbling masonry – starring a young Claes Bang as Rosenkrantz – and after a mutual decision with the local municipality He has been running and directing the event for the past 17 years you know that you enter the myth," said Engel "Now you are at the epicentre of it all It's a special thing: it was actually here that it was written for." Engel takes me on a tour of some of the other barracks buildings where a full-size sculpture of Shakespeare sits beside a sleeping Viking warrior Danske is another significant figure for the castle: according to legend A reproduction of this original model lurks in the gloom of the castle cellars Engel is in the throes of arranging this year's festival, which will take place 6-24 August and feature both Twelfth Night and Hamlet, performed by The Lord Chamberlain's Men who take a classical Elizabethan approach to the works and perform with an all-male cast "This year we've taken a more classical approach," said Engel we don't like it to be upside down and we want it to be more as we know it." In testament to the endless ways the play can be reinvented, however, Engel also plans to put on Eddie Izzard's one-person Hamlet at the stage this year. It's often said that every minute of every day Hamlet is being performed somewhere in the world Shakespeare's most popular play in his lifetime has an afterlife "It's one of the greatest pieces of writing in the English language dealing with the very nature of human existence," says Harvey "A play wrangling with this fundamental issue with such complexity is always going to mean different things to different people." experiencing the "set" of the play in real life past the guardhouse to the grass fortifications around the castle the sounds of marching feet echo through the sound system joining the march where the prince's body is taken away If you liked this story, sign up for The Essential List newsletter – a handpicked selection of features For more Travel stories from the BBC, follow us on Facebook, X and Instagram. Why we're still talking about Maud WagnerHow America's first professional female tattooist broke through into an art form historically dominated by men. 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Former Barcelona and Spain midfielder Andrés Iniesta has become the co-owner of Danish third-division side Helsingør It is Iniesta's first major off-field venture since he announced his retirement from football last month The 40-year-old is also undertaking his coaching badges in the United Arab Emirates and has expressed a desire to become a manager one day Iniesta's involvement with Helsingør comes through NSN the sports management and consulting company he jointly founded who take control of the club alongside the Swiss investment group Stoneweg "It's a fantastic opportunity to get to know football in a different way," Iniesta told Helsingør's official website In an interview with Helsingør Dagblad he added: "It's an incredibly exciting club with really good facilities a lot of good people in and around the club and a potential in the city to become an important part of Danish football." Andrés Iniesta confirmed his retirement at an emotional news conference last month. LLUIS GENE/AFP via Getty ImagesHelsingør are seventh in their 12-team division has previously worked within Barça's youth academy Iniesta is in Denmark this week and was pictured at training on Thursday He will attend this weekend's match against Ishøj including numerous LaLigas and Champions Leagues with Barça and famously scored the winning goal as Spain won the World Cup in 2010 As well as Barça and the Spanish national team he also played for Japanese side Vissel Kobe before finishing his career with Emirates in the UAE the sports management and consulting company jointly founded by Iniesta would take control alongside the Swiss investment group Stoneweg They are seventh in their 12-team division the firm had been working with the club on a consultancy basis to “consolidate its position and give the opportunity to worldwide talents to come and play in Europe” Iniesta played his final professional match for the United Arab Emirates side Emirates Club in May and officially retired at the age of 40 in October He has publicly set his sights on a career in management and his involvement upstairs at Helsingør a modestly sized club who have not reached the top flight since their formation from a merger of five clubs in 2005 Andrés Iniesta during a press conference to announce his retirement in October Photograph: Albert Gea/Reuters“It’s a fantastic opportunity to get to know football in a different way,” Iniesta said in a statement on the club’s website The club’s manager is the Spaniard Pep Alomar and the sporting director has been a coach at Iniesta’s academy having previously worked with Barcelona’s youth setup Iniesta made 674 appearances during his glittering 15-and-a-half-year spell playing at the Camp Nou In an interview with the local outlet Helsingør Dagblad “It’s an incredibly exciting club with really good facilities a lot of good people in and around the club and a potential in the city to become an important part of Danish football,” he said On Thursday morning Iniesta was pictured taking part in a training session at the club’s headquarters Free daily newsletterKick off your evenings with the Guardian's take on the world of football Helsingør are no strangers to foreign ownership They were run by an American investment group led by Jordan Gardner for three seasons until August 2022 before being taken over by the local businessman Bo Bay Haugaard Talks regarding the Iniesta-led takeover are thought to have been taking place throughout this year Denmark is popular among foreign ownership groups who often see the country as a potentially profitable midway point for young players capable of playing in Europe’s top leagues After all the excitement and media buzz of a takeover has died down the hard work begins and the challenges of owning and operating a soccer club quickly become apparent. The first 90 days after a club acquisition are the most important and potentially decisive period of time for a new ownership group and can often be predictive of future success or failure Creating a positive work environment on and off the pitch is crucial to the success of any club The most important post-closing task is analysing a club’s assets both on and off the pitch Since most clubs in Europe have minimal real estate assets the most important club assets are the players Hard questions must be asked: Does club leadership have a well thought-out long-term business plan that has been communicated to key staff members Is the sporting staff making sound decisions when it comes to roster construction Has the club’s chief executive built a strong organisation culture and do the club’s employees enjoy coming to work everyday When we purchased a controlling ownership stake of FC Helsingør in March 2019 it was apparent very quickly that the club had problems that needed to be urgently addressed we were looking for indicators of a positive work environment and forward-thinking and ambitious employees thinking they were too good to be at our club The coaching staff was constantly changing formations and tactical strategy from match to match in an incoherent way that led to confusion and poor results Several staff members we spoke with were on the verge of quitting because they felt underappreciated and were not treated with the respect they deserved from club leadership every conversation we had – from the players on the pitch to the employees in the front office – showed signs of a poor work environment something that would need to be quickly and decisively addressed Wolverhampton Wanderers manager Nuno Espirito Santo with the club's owner Being a successful owner of a professional sports club requires making difficult and unpopular decisions including potentially significant personnel changes the quicker and more decisive a new ownership group recognises that these decisions must be made I don’t think I was prepared for the amount of change that was needed as my hope was many of the key staff members would be assets to our new ownership moving forward over a period of six to nine months I made wholesale organisational changes including replacing staff in all key areas of the organisation The prior chief executive had led the club with an iron fist creating an environment of mistrust between employees and staff The head of finance was months behind in many important aspects of the club’s bookkeeping with players who did not want to be at the club but the landscape of European soccer is filled with clubs run in a similar manner This type of club management shows why there is an opportunity for good management to have a significant impact as many clubs are run quite poorly my only regret was not making these decisive changes in the first days and weeks after the acquisition rather than delaying these hard decisions on the hope that things would change for the better FC Helsingør chairman Jordan Gardner (left) in conversation with the club's assistant coach and sporting director it’s important to take a step back and give the key staff members time to implement a new vision and build a positive culture New ownership groups can at times fail to give their key staff members the tools to be successful and back away from keeping their original vision we empowered our new chief executive Jim Kirks and new coach Morten Eskesen to change the club’s culture and build a successful organisation from the ground up delegate and trust these key executives to implement our long-term vision for the club both men were able to bring positive cultural change to the club which resulted in a promotion after one season with vastly improved performances on the field the new lean and efficient management team quickly professionalised the club improving all aspects of commercial operations While these organisational changes paid dividends for us, it’s not always clear in the moment if these decisions are the right ones. In Major League Soccer (MLS), expansion club Inter Miami CF fired their head coach sporting director and chief business officer less than 12 months after the team's first official match it’s very possible they have been too focused on a poor inaugural season on the pitch and are making potentially rash decisions without giving their original leadership team the proper time to build the organisation and execute their plan Inter Miami sacked head coach Diego Alonso approximately a year after his appointment The first 90 days is a crucial opportunity for new ownership to implement its vision and set a soccer club on a new trajectory Putting in the hard work during this important time to evaluate the organisation make changes where needed and stick to a sound business plan will set up any ownership group for success but following a well thought-out plan and being patient throughout the process will give any group the best chance to have success on and off the field About the author: Jordan Gardner is an American sports executive and investor in several soccer clubs across Europe including Swansea City AFC in the United Kingdom and Dundalk FC in the Republic of Ireland co-owner and managing partner at FC Helsingør investment and business strategy for the digital media company JUGOtv before it was acquired by Relevent Sports Group He was also the owner and chief executive of a live event ticketing and technology company based in San Francisco This is part three of a four-part weekly series offering a unique insight into owning a European soccer club. You can read part one here, while part two is available here The fourth and final part of the series will be published on 18th February an American sports executive who is currently chairman and co-owner of Danish side FC Helsingør outlines what to expect in the first 90 days of ownership in a European soccer club Already a member? Log in here 12 Apr 2025 12:00:00 GMT?.css-1txiau5-AnswerContainer{color:var(--GlobalColorScheme-Text-secondaryText2);}FC Helsingør won 2–1 over Næstved on Sat Predicted lineups are available for the match a few days in advance while the actual lineup will be available about an hour ahead of the match The current head to head record for the teams are FC Helsingør 7 win(s) Haven't kept a clean sheet in 6 matches Have scored 7 goals in their last 5 matches Næstved have won the previous 3 matches against FC Helsingør Who won between FC Helsingør and Næstved on Sat 12 Apr 2025 12:00:00 GMT?FC Helsingør won 2–1 over Næstved on Sat 12 Apr 2025 12:00:00 GMT.InsightsHave scored 6 goals in their last 5 matches FC Helsingør is playing home against Næstved on Sat Only a few weeks after hanging his boots up football icon Andres Iniesta has dived into the world of investment This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page it is not clear from the press release whether it is a purchase of the club or not Iniesta and NSN have teamed up with the investment company Stoneweg and their Catalan CEO Jaume Sabater to invest in FC Helsingør which Iniesta confirmed to Helsingør Dagblad TV 2 Sport later reported that the Spanish great is not just investing Now FC Helsingør has sent out a press release announcing that they have teamed up with Never Say Never (NSN) and the Swiss company Stoneweg on a collaboration there is nothing in the press release about whether the club is being bought or not NSN has acted as consultants for FC Helsingør Now they get involved in the management to boost the club's growth "Andrés Iniesta (NSN) and Jaume Sabater (Stoneweg) are in Denmark to meet the club and watch them play against Ishøj IF Bo Bay Hougaard continues as the club's managing director Iniesta states in the press release that he is very motivated about the project:  it motivates me a lot to start this new phase of my life bringing my experience to a club like FC Helsingør the first project in an exciting alliance between NSN and Stoneweg It's a fantastic opportunity to get to know football in a different way," says the Spaniard Jaume Sabater also puts words to the collaboration: it is very important to enter the football and sports world with NSN We find the FC Helsingør project very attractive and we want to work together with the people at the club to promote their training football and bring them back to the elite of Danish football," he said Andrés Iniesta Buys a Football ClubFormer Spanish footballer Andrés Iniesta has become a co-owner of Helsingør a team in Denmark's third-tier football league.The former Spanish footballer Andrés Iniesta has become a co-owner of Helsingør through his company "Never Say Never" (NSN) several Danish media outlets reported on Thursday “The goals are to see the team improve year after year and to make people feel proud of their team,” Iniesta said today to the Danish channel TV2 located about 90 kilometers north of Copenhagen and tomorrow he will attend the league match between the local team and Ishøj the last game before the Danish winter break NSN has been working as a consultant for the club for several months The team is coached by Spaniard Pep Alomar and includes several Spanish players “We joined Helsingør because it’s a very interesting club with great facilities and the city has the potential to become an important part of Danish football,” Iniesta told the local newspaper Helsingør Dagblad NSN has acquired a majority stake in the club together with the Spanish-Swiss firm Stoneweg who also traveled to Denmark with the former player which played a season in the Superliga (top division) seven years ago is currently in seventh place out of 12 teams in the so-called Second Division (third tier) What Matches Will Ansu Fati Miss with Barcelona Due to Injury? Deco Sparks Controversy Over Lewandowski's Disallowed Goal The midfielder has a new adventure to look forward to Barcelona legend Andres Iniesta has become co-owner of Danish third-division side Helsingør after hanging up his boots The former midfielder, who announced his retirement from the professional game at the age of 40 last month “It’s a fantastic opportunity to get to know football in a different way,” Iniesta told the club’s official website Iniesta has been visiting the club over the last few days as he gets to know his new side He posted on social media: “A great and intense days with the Stoneweg teams in Denmark Very excited to be able to help Helsingør with our experience and knowledge.” Helsingør are currently seventh in their division but Iniesta has told Helsingør Dagblad that he sees plenty of potential in the club a lot of good people in and around the club and a potential in the city to become an important part of Danish football.” he explained Iniesta is also currently working on his coaching badges and has previously expressed an interest in returning to Barcelona in some capacity in the future 28 Mar 2025 18:00:00 GMT?.css-1txiau5-AnswerContainer{color:var(--GlobalColorScheme-Text-secondaryText2);}FC Helsingør vs AB on Fri The current head to head record for the teams are FC Helsingør 3 win(s) Have scored 13 goals in their last 5 matches Who won between FC Helsingør and AB on Fri 28 Mar 2025 18:00:00 GMT?FC Helsingør vs AB on Fri 28 Mar 2025 18:00:00 GMT ended in a 3–3 tie.InsightsHave scored 2 goals in their last 5 matches FC Helsingør is playing home against AB on Fri 15 Mar 2025 13:00:00 GMT?.css-1txiau5-AnswerContainer{color:var(--GlobalColorScheme-Text-secondaryText2);}Aarhus Fremad won 2–0 over FC Helsingør on Sat The current head to head record for the teams are FC Helsingør 1 win(s) Have scored 6 goals in their last 5 matches Have kept the most clean sheets in the competition (7) Who won between FC Helsingør and Aarhus Fremad on Sat 15 Mar 2025 13:00:00 GMT?Aarhus Fremad won 2–0 over FC Helsingør on Sat 15 Mar 2025 13:00:00 GMT.InsightsHave scored 4 goals in their last 5 matches FC Helsingør is playing home against Aarhus Fremad on Sat a beautiful Neo-Renaissance brick structure I keep my eyes open for the principal draw of the medieval coastal city: Kronborg Castle the setting of William Shakespeare’s Hamlet PREMIUM Kronborg Castle (Wonderful Copenhagen A mist shrouds the sky and the outline of the grand castle can barely be seen in the distance What’s visible are the two statues that welcome visitors to Helsingør: Hamlet and Ophelia the green-patinaed statues seem to be looking at the ancient building The slow walk up to the castle offers an opportunity to take in umpteen sights: the Harbour Square surrounded by Elsinore’s Latin Quarter; the Svea Pillar which commemorates Sweden’s help to Danish refugees during World War II; and St Olaf’s Church some parts of which date to the 13th century I walk past the colourful boats and dinghies in the harbour and find myself in front of a polished steel sculpture of a young man sitting in the mermaid pose clearly references Edvard Eriksen’s The Little Mermaid sculpture in Copenhagen Frederik II rebuilt the extravagant castle in Dutch Renaissance style to showcase his wealth and power largely along the lines of the original design by Christian IV after a fire heavily damaged it in 1629,” he says Kronborg Castle in Elsinore – the anglicised name for Helsingør – exudes power and elegance “The location of the structure made it strategically important as it spanned the head of the Øresund Sound a strait that separates Zealand (Denmark) from Scania (Sweden) and forms the Danish–Swedish border Ships passing into the Baltic Sea had to pay tolls at Kronborg making Helsingør one of the most important and richest towns in Europe,” the guide says a high curtain wall had wall walks and a gatehouse that encompassed three large stone buildings: the royal residence and a building that probably contained the chapel The rebuild followed the plan of its predecessor with the addition of a great cannon tower and new floors originally showcasing red brick walls and sandstone detailing was faced with sandstone in the 16th century “Christian IV’s rebuilding included numerous changes to the dormers and the spires and ceiling paintings were added along with ceiling paintings by Gerrit van Honthorst,” the guide says as I take in the grandeur of the castle It could be foreboding and gloomy on a wintry day making it the perfect place for the events that unfold in Hamlet a “masterpiece of the Netherlandish Renaissance” the King ordered ceiling paintings to complement the tapestries spotlighting heroic episodes from Denmark’s history Kronborg became renowned as one of the finest castles of the Renaissance and aristocrats spoke of the magnificent castle and court in Elsinore It was also renowned for its decadent parties “It was so talked about that news travelled across the ocean to England and inspired Shakespeare to use the castle as the setting for his drama Hamlet,” the guide tells us as we reach a wall where a small panel set into the sandstone wall and showcasing Shakespeare’s likeness reveals the connection it tells the story of Prince Hamlet and his attempts to exact revenge against his uncle who murders Hamlet’s father to seize his throne and marry Hamlet’s mother Set in Denmark and among the “most powerful and influential tragedies in the English language” its influences are many: the anonymous Scandinavian Saga of Hrolf Kraki Another theory suggests that Shakespeare may have been influenced by an earlier play Danish historian and author Saxo Grammaticus’s work on the legend of Amleth is also said to be an inspiration Wherever Shakespeare got his inspiration from the British playwright made Kronborg Castle the setting of his play This has become the English name for Helsingør Kronborg Castle made it to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2000 many of them signing up for special tours such as ‘The Secrets of Kronborg’ and ‘Hamlet’s Castle’ The Hamlet connection continues to be the biggest draw with performances adding to the castle’s appeal amateur actors performed Hamlet for the first time at Kronborg to commemorate the 200th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death the Danish Royal Theatre followed that up with a tribute performance and are now organised every July and August as the HamletScenen Shakespeare Festival The festival claims the longest-standing continuous Shakespeare performance tradition in the world The tradition also includes Shakespeare Open Air Cinema and Shakespeare in Concert Numerous storied performers have played Hamlet down the decades I try imagining how the turreted square of the castle will look when the play that made it famous across the world is performed we troop down into the basement to meet Holger the Dane A prominent figure in Danish mythology and folklore “We believe that the statue will sit still in the casemates He will awaken to defend Denmark the day his nation is in trouble,” the guide says the fictional prince Hamlet makes his presence felt everywhere in Helsingør: at Hotel Hamlet next to the train station and the ferries; at Marienlyst Strandhotel which lets you relax in an infinity pool with Kronborg Castle in the background; and at the so-called grave of Hamlet a granite monument shaped like a sarcophagus Located in the park behind Marienlyst Castle the memorial grave for Shakespeare’s fictional prince was erected in 1926 during Helsingør’s 500-year jubilee has a sealion-like animal – symbolising the masculine (Hamlet) on one side and a cornucopia – symbolising the feminine (Ophelia) – on the other As I walk the streets of the charming coastal town I recall Shakespeare’s oft-quoted line: “Something is rotten in the state of Denmark.” I can’t help but think otherwise Nothing seems rotten in the state of Denmark Certainly not at Helsingør and Kronborg Castle Teja Lele is an independent editor and writes on books Get 360° coverage—from daily headlines to 100 year archives The Local Europe ABVästmannagatan 43113 25 StockholmSweden Spanish football legend buys stake in third-tier Danish team Andrés Iniesta is a Spanish World Cup and two-time European Championship winner and also has countless trophies from a glittering club career with Barcelona widely regarded as one of the best players of all time is now also a part-owner of little-known Danish Division 2 team Helsingør FC Through his company Never Say Never and a Swiss investment firm Iniesta now has a majority share in the Danish club which plays in the third tier of Denmark’s league system Media across the country reported the story yesterday and Iniesta himself is in Helsingør to speak about his investment "We have got involved with FC Helsingør because it is an incredibly exciting club with excellent facilities a lot of great people in and around the club and a potential in the city to become an important part of Danish football,” he said to Helsingør Dagblad 850 million kroner spending deal to help homeless and abuse victims   Parliament yesterday adopted a deal to bolster a state fund known as SSA which is used to address challenges in the social All parties voted for the deal with the exception of the Danish People's Party The deal is worth 850 million kroner of government spending the Ministry of Social Affairs and Housing said in a statement Social and Housing Minister Sophie Hæstorp Andersen said in the statement that her focus had been on “people living on the margins Around 100 million kroner will be spent helping people who live on the streets and suffer with addiction and mental health problems while 65 million kroner will support victims of violence approximately 70 million kroner will go toward initiatives such as service dogs as well as an action plan to improve access to education and employment for people with disabilities Beware of fake QR parking codes in Copenhagen Fake QR codes have begun appearing at car parks in Copenhagen and drivers should take care not to use them which have been found on information signs at car parks are used by scammers to direct people to fake websites where they are asked to enter payment details The fake QR codes were not placed by parking companies but by scammers “We encourage everyone to be particularly vigilant and check the website you are redirected to If you’ve already entered your credit card information on a fake site contact your bank immediately,” police said in a post on social media X The QR code is likely to be fake if it looks like it has been stuck on to the sign drivers are encouraged to contact the police More Danes in their 30s and 40s live with their parents The number of Danes who live with their parents well into adulthood is increasing A new analysis from national agency Statistics Denmark has shown an increase in the number of people who live with their parents as adults 34,900 adults aged 30 to 44 lived with either one or both parents That corresponds to 3.2 percent of the population within the age group Men in their early thirties are especially likely to still be living at home More on this story here. Please log in here to leave a comment is a charming town that has preserved its medieval character As I walked through the lattice of slim cobblestoned streets especially the harbor and busy shopping core SAUNTERING AROUNDAfter a visit to the castle I headed to the street food market just a few footsteps from the castle replete with high ceilings and a line-up of shipping paraphernalia and the not-so-faraway Swedish coast as I dug into Smørrebrød and Apple cider below the ground and around an old concrete dry dock overlooking the Castle is the Maritime Museum which illustrates the characteristics of contemporary Scandinavian design I was spellbound to see the glass and aluminum dressed stairs and bridges intersecting the top giving it the silhouette of a recessed ship.As I headed back to the train station a male mirror of the world-famous Danish icon «The Little Mermaid» aka «Han,» a glittery stainless-steel statuette at the waterside quay who sits in the same position as the mermaid I discovered later that the statue blinks for an instant each hour cobblestoned and encircled by edifices a minimum of 300 years old looked stunning peering out from the vibrant blue Air India now operates a direct flight on Wednesday Fridays & Sundays from Delhi to Copenhagen Resuming after a pause of nearly three years since worldwide flight operations were limited owing to the eruption of the pandemic this service further reinforces Air India’s grip in Europe after the freshly restarted flights to Milan and Vienna BEST WAY TO REACH HELSINGORA train runs from Copenhagen Central Station to Elsinore every 20 minutes and the trip takes approximately 40 minutes.MUST BUY COPENHAGEN CARDThe best way to explore the city is with the Copenhagen Card which includes free transportation in the whole Capital Region It can be purchased at www.copenhagencard.com the Kronborg Castle in Denmark was not the grandiose Renaissance castle that stands today it was a toll house where ships had to pay dues to pass through the narrow sound that separated Denmark and Sweden This brought in an incalculable amount of wealth and riches making the castle a beacon of prosperity and power Its recognition and splendor were far-reaching even inspiring the great playwright William Shakespeare to pen his tale of indecisiveness and revenge the castle is much more than just a symbol of wealth and inspiration for literary geniuses It is a must-visit destination for anyone traveling to the beautiful Skåne region of southern Sweden A MUST DO DAY TRIP TO SKÅNE IN SOUTHERN SWEDENStart your day trip by taking the Scandlines ferry from Helsingor to Helsingborg which takes only 20 minutes (remember to carry your passport!) head out to the stunning nature reserve of Kullen for a dolphin safari Witness these majestic creatures in their natural habitat surrounded by breathtaking scenery.After your adventure indulge in some authentic Swedish cuisine at the gourmet Höganäs Saluhall for lunch locally sourced ingredients while enjoying the charming atmosphere Here you will find the best pastries in Sweden take a bus to Malmo and discover its sustainable architecture in Western Harbour Marvel at the innovative designs and eco-friendly features of the buildings which have made Malmo a leader in sustainable living and experience the thrill of traveling between two countries in just 30 minutes the Skåne region has something for everyone And with Kronborg Castle as your starting point you are sure to have a day trip filled with adventure and inspiration.Rupali Dean is an award-winning food writer recognized as the “Best food writer in the country” by the Indian culinary forum WACS and the Ministry of Tourism With a passion for travel and a love for good food Rupali shares her experiences with readers around the world © SUNDAY GUARDIAN LIVE 2025 | DIRECT NEWS PRIVATE LIMITED | ALL RIGHTS RESERVED but that didn’t stop him from making Helsingor — or as it’s more commonly called Elsinore — the setting for his masterpiece is an old market town 28 miles north of Copenhagen on the Oresund (the Sound) Trains from Copenhagen run every 20 minutes and take only 45 minutes Visitors can also drive up the coast if they wish to enjoy some of the scenery and stop off at small villages along the way Because the distance across the Oresund strait to Sweden is only 2.5 miles there is frequent ferry service between Helsingor and the same-sounding Swedish city Helsingborg across the water Helsingor was once a busy shipbuilding center and its nautical past is everywhere in evidence is located on an old dry dock and built in the shape of a ship’s hull visitors walk down a metal bridge to an entrance below ground level they go deeper in to the museum — without even noticing it Exhibits feature state-of-the-art digital displays ship models and relics from the wooden ship era The main attraction in Helsingor these days is Kronborg Castle — one of the finest examples of renaissance castles in Europe actors dressed up in Shakespearean garb talk to small groups of tourists and tell them about which scene in “Hamlet” took place right where they stand international theater groups put on full productions of the play in the castle’s courtyard The castle (properly called Kronborg Slot) had a practical use in the old days Danish kings would sit in the windows and watch as their minions collected taxes from ships passing through the strait the money from the “Sound Dues,” as they were called accounted for two-thirds of Denmark’s entire income The taxes — which were abolished in 1857 — fattened the king’s coffers and made Helsingor rich and prosperous and one of its distinctive features is its moat with white swans Turrets and rows of cannons point out toward the strait — as if waiting for an errant ship to try to make a run for it without paying its taxes Also of note is the castle’s 203-foot ballroom There are other reasons to visit Helsingor The center of town retains some of its medieval flavor with narrow cobblestone streets and half-timbered some of which were built in later years by ship captains There are markets in the morning on Wednesdays a red brick gothic building from the 1500s The town museum is just a few blocks away and is housed on the site of an old Carmelite monastery The monastery was once used as a hospital for sailors and is located next door to the 14th-century St Families who want to spend time at the beach can enjoy a nearly empty strand that stretches from Kronborg Castle up to the Marienlyst hotel and casino A nearby salt water aquarium is open year-round Helsingor’s latest development is the renovation of the old waterfront area the city has designated the area as a culture center and the huge plaza hosts concerts year round Everything is within easy walking distance from the train station In a nod to Copenhagen’s “The Little Mermaid” statue Helsingor has erected a statue of its own along the waterfront The polished-steel statue is called “Han” (the Danish word for “he”) and was designed by Danish artist duo Michael Elmgreen and Ingar Dragset observant onlookers will spot the twist — once every hour Han’s eyes blink for a split second as he looks wistfully out to sea Copyright © 2025 Northstar Travel Media, LLC. All Rights Reserved. 301 Route 17 N, Suite 1150, Rutherford, NJ 07070 USA | Telephone: (201) 902-2000 The statue incarnation of Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tale character the Little Mermaid is undoubtedly one of the most popular tourist attractions in Copenhagen. Some visitors also check out the abstract parody known as the Genetically Modified Little Mermaid nearby is that about 25 miles (40 km) north of the Danish capital you find a modern male version of the classic bronze siren When the aquatic Han sculpture was unveiled in 2012 the Danish-Norwegian artist duo Elmgreen and Dragset presented their artwork as “the kid brother of The Little Mermaid.” Although Han has a human-like lower body instead of a fishtail therefore technically not a “merman,” it sits in the siren pose on a rock—just like the original water nymph statue Elmgreen and Dragset want to challenge the convention of how masculinity can be depicted in this day and age the sculptors created a fragile and boyish figure without heroic aura cast in polished steel with a mirror-like surface An electronic device makes the sculpture blink at irregular intervals so that only the lucky or patient ones get to experience the blinking eyes the viewers need to dwell on the artwork to get the full benefit the sculpture was exhibited at the Beijing Design Week in China where it promoted tourism to Denmark as well as LGBT rights.  Han sits on the edge of the pier in front of Kulturværftet (the Culture Yard) and can be reached by foot in about 7 minutes from the railway station and the ferry terminal This modern sculpture looks out over the sea and amplifies sound from the inside This 42-foot tribute to the workforce still reminds us to pause and recharge A whimsical display of massive metal sculptures made from recycled materials made from recycled wood and materials found in nature Papier-mâché folk art recognizing horrors of slave trade Rusted humanoid clutching a laptop and trailing cables A family of distorted sculptures stands outside Seoul's former imperial palace An abstract sculpture that will be a work in progress for the next 1,000 years Kembo Kibato boarded a flight to Denmark to chase his dream The 18-year-old was convinced the soccer team he was joining in the small picturesque city of Helsingor — 45 minutes north of Copenhagen — could help him get there Kibato is an attacking midfielder who spent just over one season with Toronto FC’s under-19 academy team described him as technically proficient but sometimes lacking efficiency His coach wondered if he had the physicality to compete at the professional level Kibato has never played professional soccer “I feel like it’s been a long time coming,” said Kibato Along with fellow former TFC academy product Kunle Dada-Luke Kibato officially signed with FC Helsingor this week The club is expected to formally announce these signings soon was also very close to signing with FC Helsingor but according to team co-owner Jordan Gardner FC Helsingor plays in the Danish Second Division a group of American investors purchased a majority stake in FC Helsingor with the intention of bringing over young American players and making the club a breeding ground for American talent who is also a minority investor in English Championship side Swansea City and Irish side Dundalk John Burbank and Michael de Anda — all of whom are minority stakeholders in the NBA’s Golden State Warriors Their recruitment efforts have focused on young Americans who might have been overlooked by U.S “It’s becoming more difficult for young players to get first-team minutes and we all know how important that is for development,” Gardner said He believes many young Americans were only going abroad when their agents had connections with foreign teams — a common practice in international club soccer Gardner felt that was restricting players and sensed an opportunity of his own “I didn’t understand why an American didn’t own a team in Europe as a landing spot for American players,” he said By bringing over young players who aren’t under contract he believes players will better develop in what he sees as a competitive environment with a strong club infrastructure Gardner wants FC Helsingor to then sell these players to clubs in higher divisions across Europe to sustain the club’s growth Kibato and Dada-Luke are the first Canadian players signed by the club since the American investors took a majority stake in the club some six months ago They had left the TFC academy in January and were scouted by Helsingor and then brought on trial to the team in June Helsingor did not pay any transfer fees for them “We felt these players had all the tools to be successful in Europe,” said Gardner of the Canadians “They just needed to be in the right environment over the next one to three years.” Gardner said that while Denmark generally produces players with excellent technical abilities he has noticed that Canadian players offer more speed Kibato and Dada-Luke check all of those boxes according to Gardner and he believes there are similar players awaiting opportunities in Canada “The sky’s the limit in terms of bringing over more and more (Canadian) players into this environment,” said Gardner But with the new Canadian Premier League increasing opportunities at home and more playing time than ever available to young domestic players in MLS will FC Helsingor be able to stake a claim in Canada Canadian players leaving for Europe to chase soccer dreams was once the norm There is a soccer history in Europe that often laps Canadian clubs and that often creates a notion that heading overseas is vital to player development Gardner and FC Helsingor want to be a key element in that development but their approach is also at odds with a rising momentum in the Canadian soccer landscape Helsingor’s approach might have been welcomed with open arms 20 years ago before Canadian MLS club academies were developed and the CPL existed More developed domestic club infrastructure means that Canadians can now hone their skills in the kind of environments they couldn’t have previously Helsingor’s acquisition of Canadians raises questions about whether homegrown talent still needs development in Europe or whether the Canadian soccer is still not doing enough for young domestic players Kibato noted the smooth transition process as English is readily spoken throughout Denmark the people there and playing the sport I love,” said Kibato “I just want to prove to everyone that I deserve a spot.” Gardner said players will benefit from having what he calls a “personalized development plan” that will focus on a player’s individual needs to promote their development “That’s something we can do as a smaller club,” said Gardner “We can tailor each development plan and experience when we bring a player over that bigger clubs don’t have the time or energy to do.” He believes very few clubs in Europe have an understanding of the nuances of MLS academies and how difficult it can be for academy players to eventually graduate and earn first-team minutes “No one I know is taking that hands-on of an approach,” said Gardner “I wanted to get better and develop myself as a player,” said Kibato “I thought trying out for (Helsingor) would do that.” FC Helsingor is relying on recommendations from their coaching contacts throughout North America though they also have two or three scouts in North America at any given time Gardner says there is enough available talent to acquire without having to pay transfer fees Helsingor’s lure to young players is the promise of playing time Kibato said he was told by the team’s coaches that they could see him already fitting in with the first team “It doesn’t matter how talented they are,” said Gardner He believes that many CPL and MLS clubs have difficulty striking a balance between winning games and playing young players Columbus Crew SC president Tim Bezbatchenko, however, believes its important for players have faith in their academy’s development plan. During his time as Toronto FC GM, Bezbatchenko was a firm believer the club’s “long-term sustainable success” would be determined by its academy “There’s a structure set up that helps them pursue their professional path,” said Bezbatchenko there’s a disconnect between the timing of when they think they’re ready and when the club thinks they’re actually ready.” A report released earlier this month by Jordan Boddie at American Soccer Now suggests that domestic players under the age of 20 are getting more professional opportunities than ever in MLS and the USL Boddie’s report found that domestic under-20 players are on pace to accumulate more minutes in 2019 than any season since the Homegrown Player Rule was adopted in 2008 That rule allowed MLS teams to sign players from their academies without being subject to an allocation process (eight) U-20 players played 4,664 minutes in MLS,” wrote Boddie 34 U-20 players have already played 12,445 minutes in MLS Based on how many games are left in the season 49 percent of current MLS players are from outside the United States and Canada Even as MLS becomes a more prominent destination for foreign players teams appear to be putting more faith in younger domestic players TFC is one of the teams leading the charge TFC has averaged 988 minutes per season (including half of this season) for domestic U-20 players since 2008 That’s seventh among all MLS teams and is a reminder that playing time is available for young players TFC under-19 academy team coach Danny Dichio said he’s seen many cases of Canadian players succeeding on trial with European clubs but not understanding the demands players face in training and in games throughout the season His advice to players would be to explore the increasing opportunities in Canada but it seems like when they face that first little bit of adversity whether it be them not being offered a contract when they expect a contract or they’re not getting sufficient playing time they seem to react to that really badly and they seem to think the grass is greener on the other side of the world where football is the number one sport in the world,” said Dichio Dada-Luke and Yeates left the academy on their own after TFC invested time and resources in the players — the team got nothing in return “There’s been so many cases of players going over to try out getting offered a second try out and they honestly do not understand the standard and the level of their age group or even the pro level in Europe And the actual consistency required to train every day.” But what he noticed on his original trial with Helsingor was how much more consistently committed players were in training sessions “Some (players) were just going through the motions,” said Kibato of his time at the TFC academy Kibato began thinking he would be better served in Europe He grew frustrated when he was not offered time with TFC’s reserve side “I know I need to progress but for me personally I think I’m at a much higher level than where they saw me at,” said Kibato “I took all the advice they gave me but I was ready to push further in my career.” Keeping players in the academy structure while MLS clubs regularly spend the resources available to them to bring in foreign players can be a challenge One MLS general manager told The Athletic that while young players are often eager to play pro teams must do a better job of communicating their vision for the player the fact that European clubs are looking at players from Canadian academies serves as an indication that the talent level in the country is rising he was trying to decide between Forge and Helsingor He said he didn’t understand head coach Bobby Smyrniotis’s approach Personal relationships can influence a player’s decision on whether to stay or go “He didn’t understand me as well as I would have liked,” said Kibato If Canadian players believe there are limited opportunities in MLS then there is even more focus put on the CPL which was designed with development in mind the CPL mandated that every club must play at least three players aged 21 or younger for a total of 1,000 minutes The goal is to help develop Canadians without them having to seek professional opportunities abroad And with the spring season finished and the fall season soon to get underway Four of the league’s seven teams have already provided more than 1,000 minutes to young Canadians this league is about developing Canadian players and giving Canadian players an opportunity,” said York 9 FC head coach Jimmy Brennan having that under-21 group … it’s given them an opportunity to get games You’re 19 or 20 and you’re playing first-team football.” went to Europe at 17 to begin his soccer career abroad with England’s Bristol City FC He argues his case is an exception and that Canadians shouldn’t believe it’s Europe or bust for their development that’s their dream to go over to Europe,” said Brennan “But they don’t realize it’s not as easy as people make it out to be It’s not as great as people make it out to be You’re going over there and you’re trying to take another man’s job “It’s a shame sometimes because a lot of times these kids are sold a dream and it doesn’t really benefit them Then you see a lot of kids get discouraged afterwards by that Brennan said the CPL is committed to looking after young players and giving them professional opportunities “We want to make sure that they have every opportunity to be successful and fulfill their dreams,” said Brennan One of the players that has benefitted from the mandatory minutes in the CPL is Toronto-born forward Cyrus Rollocks The former Canadian U-17 international was a standout in the semi-professional League 1 Ontario and spent two years in TFC’s academy Rollocks has seen many friends and former teammates try their hand in Europe only to return to Canada shortly after He admits he’s thought about going to Europe but believes in the opportunities afforded in the CPL “I didn’t want to go over there and not be 100 percent ready,” said Rollocks “I wanted to come here and develop so that when I go over there He said the CPL’s rule for playing time impacted his decision to sign with York 9 He has already earned 285 minutes in eight appearances in the CPL this season playing at home and playing for coaches that actually want to see you make it in life I felt like that was good for my career to get pro minutes here,” said Rollocks the chance to play in the CPL meant he could be patient with his desire to play in Europe “I could come out and kill it,” he said of his burgeoning CPL career “maybe get top goal scorer and have a good resume to go overseas.” Gardner still believes it is much easier to get discovered by clubs in larger European leagues while a player is in Europe “We don’t see the shop window in North America right now if you’re not a homegrown player with a club like Toronto FC it’s tough to make that jump to a higher level “You can showcase yourself in a way that doesn’t exist in North America.” Of course it’s in Gardner’s best interest as a team owner to think that way just as it is in the CPL’s interest to keep their best at home as Canadians find success in both North America and in Europe the competition for talent will only increase “There will always be the lure of Europe for young players in North America,” said Gardner “We’re just trying to harness that interest that already exists.” (Top photo of Kembo Kibato courtesy FC Helsingor) Joshua Kloke is a staff writer who has covered the Maple Leafs and Canadian soccer for The Athletic since 2016. Previously, he was a freelance writer for various publications, including Sports Illustrated. Follow Joshua on Twitter @joshuakloke The World Heritage Centre is at the forefront of the international community’s efforts to protect and preserve World Heritage partnerships for conservation Ensuring that World Heritage sites sustain their outstanding universal value is an increasingly challenging mission in today’s complex world where sites are vulnerable to the effects of uncontrolled urban development Our Partners Donate Take advantage of the search to browse through the World Heritage Centre information Located on a strategically important site commanding the Sund the stretch of water between Denmark and Sweden the Royal castle of Kronborg at Helsingør (Elsinore) is of immense symbolic value to the Danish people and played a key role in the history of northern Europe in the 16th-18th centuries Work began on the construction of this outstanding Renaissance castle in 1574 and its defences were reinforced according to the canons of the period's military architecture in the late 17th century Edifié sur un site stratégique d'une grande importance qui commande le Sund étendue d'eau entre le Danemark et la Suède le château royal de Kronborg à Helsingør (Elseneur) revêt une valeur symbolique considérable pour les Danois Il a également joué un rôle prépondérant dans l'histoire de l'Europe du Nord aux XVIe-XVIIIe siècles Les travaux de construction de cet exceptionnel château Renaissance ont commencé en 1574 et ses ouvrages défensifs furent renforcés selon les usages de l'architecture militaire de l'époque Il est mondialement connu comme le château d'Elseneur la plus célèbre des tragédies de Shakespeare شُيّد قصر كرونبورغ في إلسينور على موقع استراتيجي مهم يُطلّ على السوند، هذه المساحة المائيّة بين الدانمرك والسويد، وهو يرتدي أهميّةً رمزيّةً للدانمركيين أدّى دوراً مهمّاً في تاريخ أوروبا الشماليّة بين القرنين السادس عشر والثامن عشر بدأت أعمال بناء قصر النهضة الاستثنائي هذا عام 1574 وجرى تدعيم ركائزه الدافعيّة، عملاً بمعطيات الهندسة العسكريّة في تلك الحقبة، أواخر القرن السابع عشر ويُعرف عالميّاً بقصر إلسينور حيث دارت فصول مسرحيّة هامليت، أشهر قصائد شكسبير 赫尔辛基的科隆博格城堡位于一个重要的战略要塞上，居高临下面对丹麦与瑞典交界的桑德(Sund)水域，对丹麦人具有巨大的象征意义，在16世纪至18世纪的北欧历史中发挥了重要作用。这个辉煌的文艺复兴时期风格的城堡始建于1574年，17世纪晚期，城堡的防御工事根据当时军事建筑的惯例得到了加强。城堡至今仍保存完好。赫尔辛基也因是莎士比亚巨著《哈姆雷特》的场景所在地而闻名全球。 Королевский замок Кронборг в Хельсингёре (Эльсиноре) располагается в стратегически важном месте контролируя Эресунн (Зунд) – пролив между Данией и Швецией Этот замок имеет большое символическое значение для датского народа Он сыграл ключевую роль в истории Северной Европы в период XVI-XVIII вв Строительство этого выдающегося замка эпохи Возрождения началось в 1574 г. а затем его оборонительные сооружения были усилены в соответствии с канонами военной архитектуры конца XVII в Он остается в неизмененном состоянии до настоящего времени и широко известен как Эльсинор – место действия шекспировского "Гамлета" llave del estrecho de Sund que separa Dinamarca de Suecia el castillo y palacio real de Kronborg tiene un gran valor simbólico para los daneses Este excepcional edificio renacentista desempeñó un papel importante en la historia europea desde el siglo XVI hasta el XVIII Su construcción dio comienzo en 1574 y sus defensas fueron reforzadas a finales del siglo XVII con arreglo a los cánones de la arquitectura militar de esa época El edificio ha permanecido intacto hasta nuestros días y es mundialmente conocido con el nombre de castillo de Elsinor por ser el escenario escogido por Shakespeare para su célebre tragedia “Hamlet” Kronborg Castle is located north of Elsinore on a strategically important site commanding the Sound (Øresund) a narrow stretch of water between Denmark and Sweden From the sixteenth to the eighteenth centuries Kronborg Castle played a key role in the history of Northern Europe The Sound is the gateway to the Baltic Sea and from 1429 to 1857 Denmark controlled this passage thanks to Kronborg Castle positioned at the narrowest part of the Sound Around 1.8 million ships passed through the Sound during this period and all of them had to pay a toll at Kronborg Castle For this reason Kronborg Castle and its fortress became a symbol of Denmark’s power The Sound toll was not just a source of income; it was also a political instrument By favouring the shipping trade of selected nations or by allowing their navies free passage Denmark was in a position to create important alliances The control of the Sound was essential and it became an important issue in the motives and courses of several wars For this reason Kronborg Castle was of great significance Remnants of the old walls can still be seen at the castle today In 1574 King Frederik II began the construction of the outstanding Renaissance castle and the surrounding fortifications which would eventually be known as Kronborg Castle Following the disastrous fire of 1629 the castle was reconstructed almost exactly as it was before which was the only building not to have been ravaged by the fire The castle itself is a Renaissance building with four wings surrounding a spacious courtyard The bright sandstone facades are characterized by horizontal bands and the front walls are balanced by towers and spires The castle is extensively and richly decorated with sandstone ornaments in unique and imaginative designs The Great Hall (the banqueting hall) is one of the most exquisite rooms from this time – and the largest of its kind in Northern Europe Kronborg Castle is also world famous as the setting of Shakespeare’s Hamlet Kronborg Castle was admired for its beauty as a castle and feared for its strength as a fortress The castle was protected by tall ramparts and strong angular bastions The overall impression of Kronborg Castle is closely associated with its architecture and location Criterion (iv): Kronborg Castle is an outstanding example of the Renaissance castle and one which played a highly significant role in the history of this region of northern Europe All the elements required to express Kronborg’s value as a Renaissance castle and military fortress are found within the borders of the inscribed area For the purposes of effective protection of the important views a permanent buffer zone has been established and view corridors have been designated a temporary buffer zone of 100 meters had been established around Kronborg Castle it was required that the passage between Kronborg Castle and the medieval city of Elsinore be opened up The buffer zone should be defined once an overall plan is decided for this area including the removal of parts of the former shipyard Kronborg Castle has undergone several alterations In 1629 the castle was destroyed by a fire but it was rebuilt shortly after in almost precisely the same shape In 1658 the fortress was bombarded and conquered by the Swedish army several alterations were made to the interior space when the military no longer occupied the fortress a thorough restoration took place and the alterations were removed In 1991 the military finally abandoned the Kronborg area the fortifications surrounding the castle have been altered and expanded to accommodate new arms and their ranges After the closure and demolition of parts of the shipyard in 1982 restoration projects were carried out in order to restore and re-establish the fortified area’s previous size and shape for the purpose of enhancing the experience of the castle’s strategic value The exterior of Kronborg Castle has always been well maintained and considerable efforts have been made to ensure its authenticity in terms of design Continual restoration of the castle’s facades is carried out including the carving of replicas of the unique sandstone ornaments All the work on the castle is undertaken with respect for the original choices of building materials and designs Kronborg Castle and the surrounding fortifications belong to the Danish State The castle and the adjoining fortress are listed buildings and protected in accordance with the Preservation of Buildings Act and the Museum Act This means that all changes must be approved by the Danish Agency for Culture The castle and its fortress are managed by the Agency for Palaces and Cultural Properties in the Ministry of Culture With a view to strengthening the protection of Kronborg Castle Elsinore City Council and the Danish Agency for Culture joined forces and drew up a final agreement on the buffer zone and the establishment of view corridors The agreement was implemented in an addendum to the municipal plan The town plan of the Elsinore Municipality outlines the main features of the city’s development and the framework for the district plan The management plan for Kronborg Castle has been prepared and addresses the long term threats against Kronborg These are mainly building and ground decay These threats are identified and prevented through inspection which are carried out by the Agency for Palaces and Cultural Properties more visitors may cause an increase in the wear and vandalism This potential threat is addressed through information and guidance for the visitors electronic and physical surveillance and an increased focus on maintenance Digital Sports ReporterPublished: Invalid Date ANDRES INIESTA has bought an “incredibly exciting” football club just weeks after retiring from playing The Barcelona and Spain legend called time on his incredible career last month after starring in over 1,000 games. Iniesta won nine titles and four Champions League at the Nou Camp And he also played a key role in two Euro wins and a World Cup triumph with his national side After leaving Barcelona in 2018, Iniesta spent five years in Japan with Vissel Kobe before heading to the Middle East with UAE side Emirates But Iniesta decided it was time to bow out of the beautiful game this summer Iniesta has already made his next career move, starting a coaching course as he looks to get into management. But in the meantime, he has also entered the world of club ownership after purchasing a side in Europe. Thought his jointly-founded sports management and consulting company, NSN, Iniesta has now become co-owner of Danish third division side Helsingor. NSN have entered into an agreement with Swiss investment group Stoneweg And Iniesta will now look to improve Helsingor’s standing in Denmark The Scandinavian side already have a mighty Catalonian presence at the club with former Barcelona youth manager Pep Alomar their head coach And Iniesta feels he has made the perfect investment with an “incredibly exciting” side He said: “It’s a fantastic opportunity to get to know football in a different way and a potential in the city to become an important part of Danish football.” Our journalists strive for accuracy but on occasion we make mistakes. For further details of our complaints policy and to make a complaint please click this link: thesun.co.uk/editorial-complaints/ This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. The action you just performed triggered the security solution. 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View this post on Instagram A post shared by Soccer Laduma (@soccer_laduma) Local International Off The Pitch Podcasts & Videos Rest-of-World FC Barcelona legend Andres Iniesta has purchased a club in Europe after retiring from professional football.The 40-year-old announced his retirement from professional football last month having last featured for United Arab Emirates outfit Emirates Club Read: Al Ahly Coach Linked With Surprise Move to England After a memorable playing career, Iniesta has now bought Danish third-tier club Helsingor.The World Cup winner becomes a co-owner after his sports management company NSN reached an agreement with Swiss investment group Stoneweg complete the purchase.  "After playing as a professional, it motivates me a lot to start this new phase of my life, bringing my experience to a club like FC Helsingor, the first project in an exciting alliance between NSN and Stoneweg," Iniesta said, as per Goal. "It's a fantastic opportunity to get to know football in a different way". The Danish club will now b hoping to move up the divisions in the coming years, as they aim to reach the SuperLiga. "The goals are to see the team improve year after year, to develop academy players, to enhance facilities, and to make people feel proud of their team," Iniesta said to Danish channel TV2. 10 Freedom Way, Milnerton, Cape Town, 7441, South Africa Text description provided by the architects. The design for Helsingør Power Plant´s new HQ supports the narrative about the municipality’s sustainable supply technologies – from wastewater treatment to energy and waste handling. The project comprises the Cube and Operating Facilities, two buildings that will stand adjacent to the power plant with its distinctive architecture. The facility forms a protective shield around the central working area while screening the surroundings from noise. The Cube is a rusty-red building clad in corteen steel that corresponds with the colors of the surroundings. Inside the building opens up a space for interdisciplinary collaboration. The ground floor houses administrative functions, a customer centre, and an exhibition area, organized around an atrium, where daylight flows from large skylights. From the customer centre on the ground floor, there are views to the entire building. while offices are placed on the top floors The Operating Facilities house all operations and has simple lean-to roofs for garages; here the storage areas are built around an open courtyard You'll now receive updates based on what you follow Personalize your stream and start following your favorite authors If you have done all of this and still can't find the email native Jeremy Rafanello spent a season at Penn State after scoring 43 goals in two seasons in the U.S Philadelphia Union Academy grad Jeremy Rafanello is heading to Denmark to start his professional career for second division club FC Helsingør native signed his first professional contract at his home in South Jersey on Tuesday evening and heads to Denmark today “It’s truly an honor to go overseas,” Rafanello said Rafanello had three goals and an assist during his freshman season at Penn State last fall After spending some time with Reading United in the U.S Open Cup and in USL League Two play (3 goals Rafanello had a chance to go on a 10-day trial at Helsingør “All respect to everybody at Penn State and the coaches I loved my time there and they did a lot for me,” he said “I give the coaching staff a lot of credit.” he made a pair of appearances for Bethlehem Steel FC received call-ups from the United States U19 team and scored 43 goals in two seasons in the Development Academy with FC Delco U16s (2016-2017) and the Philadelphia Union U19s (2017-2018) In FC Helsingør, Rafanello is joining a club purchased earlier this year by a team of U.S. investors with the stated purpose of developing young Americans “It’s awesome to know there is American ownership behind you and they want to develop you and get you to the next point in your career,” Rafanello said Rafanello grew up in Delran with a field named after Sporting Kansas City head coach Peter Vermes just beyond his backyard fence “Soccer is huge in Delran and everybody knows each other,” Rafanello said “Living behind a soccer field was definitely awesome too just being able to walk out my back gate and play.” a group of soccer influencers that includes Carlos dos Santos Cristiano Oliveira and Hugo Ferreira helped guide Rafanello through the process Five of the men were present when Rafanello inked his first pro contract on Tuesday something he’s had his sights on since he transitioned to the Union Academy from FC Delco and started attending YSC Academy for his final year of high school “Coming from the Union I just wanted to be a professional,” he said “Things didn’t work out so I’m going to go overseas and make my dream a reality.” celebrates the official opening of its first station in Denmark The ceremony marks a significant step in Fastned's commitment to providing reliable and efficient fast charging Head of the Climate and Sustainability Committee and Deputy Mayor of Helsingør The collaboration with Helsingør municipality and the Danish road authorities has been pivotal in the swift realisation of this project The station was built and became operational in record time starting its activities only five months after the contract award We are not just here to mark the occasion of the opening of our first station but we also celebrate the beginning of a long-term commitment: Fastned is here to also become a part of a vibrant city where nature and the coastline play crucial roles for both the city and its residents Helsingør is a city where climate change is already leaving its mark on the environment as many coastal areas suffer first from extreme weather patterns We aim to contribute to the development of a reliable and efficient fast charging infrastructure supporting the country's transition to electric mobility which is crucial in curbing climate change the station is located in a high-traffic strategic location catering to EV drivers in the coastal city and drivers heading to Sweden on the Helsingør-Helsingborg ferry The station in Helsingør is part of a tender won by Fastned in July 2023 to build a total of three stations Grevinge and Langeskov Syd will be opened  later this year The Grevinge station will also have four chargers available to  drivers on the busy route between Copenhagen and Aarhus and will be part of a major charging hub along the E20 where the famous and long Great Belt and the New Little Belt bridges connect continental Europe with Copenhagen Growing our network in Denmark aligns with our broader commitment to building a comprehensive network of fast charging stations across Europe with the goal of reaching 1,000 stations by 2030 The Danish government has set a goal of having one million electric vehicles on its roads by 2030 This will require a strong network of fast charging stations and Fastned is here to help build that infrastructure We plan to open many more stations in Denmark and across Europe in the coming years featuring Fastned’s iconic canopies with solar panels roofs Fastned is on a mission to accelerate the transition to electric mobility we’ve been at the forefront of European charging infrastructure development building and operating a rapidly growing network of iconic fast charging stations nature-inspired stations create a welcoming environment for drivers during the 15 minutes it takes to charge up to 300 km of range we aim to inspire millions to drive on solar and wind energy so that together we can curb climate change Fastned is listed at Euronext Amsterdam (AMS: FAST) Although Denmark might not be the first name that comes to mind when discussing international football it’s worth remembering they are ex-European Championship winners and the Danish Superliga is increasingly yielding teams such as Midtjylland and FC Copenhagen that are starting to make a splash in UEFA Competitions on a more regular basis that directly tie into the fates of future development for players from one of the most expectant nations in the world there is massive potential to create a new powerhouse in Denmark relying on a unique strategy to acquire top players and a business model that tantalises young stars with the prospect of regular first team football so they can move onto the upper echelons of European football when the time is right the man behind the ambitious plans at FC Helsingør Jordan emphasises one of the most common misconceptions about club ownership: “People assume club ownership is glamorous (which often at times it is!).” He’s quick to refocus towards the workload behind the scenes to keep it running on a day-to-day basis: We are still a business at the end of the day and most of our time and energy is spend on mundane tasks that are not particularly sexy or exciting.” Although he’s keen to stress the latter is purely a passive investment I’m still curious to pick his brains on why the League of Ireland has not suffered the same inflation of transfer fees that other leagues have had “Most of the clubs in Ireland are not sophisticated or professionalized in a way to maximize transfer fees on players.” It’s probably worth remembering that despite Dundalk FC’s recent success both domestically and on the European stage they like every other team in Ireland have been unable to shake away from the shackles of semi-professional status FC Helsingør moved into their new home – the Helsingør stadium in August 2019 what are Jordan’s top three principles for investing “I [Jordan] have tried to apply many of the principals and philosophies I learned in the business worth to investing in football as football is not strictly a business and has an intrinsic emotional and community value.” and you are not willing or able to put the time and energy in to build relationships in your club’s local community then you are going to have a difficult time having success.” As arguably the world’s most famous club’s motto echoes: More than a club “Football cannot strictly be treated as a business but it also cannot be treated as only a vanity project No one should be getting into football to become a billionaire there are better uses of money and time than to own a football club if that is the case there needs to be a balance between operating a football club as an efficient successful business and providing value and enjoyment to your supporters His final principle is one that is nearly applicable to every industry: “Creating the right organizational culture and hiring good people on both the sporting and commercial side is essential Most clubs spend the bulk of their time identifying the one manager or sporting director who they identify as the key to success When in reality the priority should be much broader by establishing leadership at the top (from ownership) savvy executives across the entire organization.” Gardner hopes he can attract other young US stars to Denmark for a spell to follow in the footsteps of stars like Reggie Cannon With the emphasis now suddenly planted firmly on leadership Chairpersons have many targets to hit and parameters to consider: the success of the club having a strong brand and being a pillar of the community “The success of the club and being integrated in the local community people want to be involved with a winning product and on field performance is always crucially important Being respected and integrated in the local community becomes most important when you are not having success on the field.” The importance of corporate social responsibility cannot it’s important for people feel connected to the club (and ownership) and feel invested in the product and willing to support it even in the most difficult times.” The mention of the ‘most difficult times’ brings the current situation sharply back into focus with Danish football paralyzed by COVID-19 like so many nations “Our entire organization at FC Helsingør has been closed since early March due to the virus we are very reliant on match day revenue to operate so without games being played we are in a difficult position.”  and praises the Danish government’s response and support for sporting clubs “We are participating in a government wage reimbursement plan in Denmark which will help mitigate some of the financial strain of the virus on our business We are hopeful matches will resume at some point soon when it is safe and reasonable to do so.” they’ll be the cornerstone of an ambitious project Aiming to return to the Superliga after their recent relegation but he’s acutely aware of the club’s recent lofty history “One of the reasons we picked FC Helsingør was because it had a history of success in the higher divisions of Danish football progressing to the Danish SuperLiga in 2017.” he’s identified the other models to replicate these previous successes “I have been very impressed with the American ownership group at RCD Mallorca in Spain,” continuing to add “They bought the club when it was in the Segunda División they subsequently got promoted the next two seasons and are now in La Liga with one of the lowest budgets in the league.” It’s an apt reminder that the biggest budgets do not necessarily guarantee success and instead astute planning and behind-the-scenes magic can really make or break club fortunes Jordan is amongst those trying to strengthen the national infrastructure of football in America The short-term goal is to produce a ‘Golden Generation’ akin to the likes of Belgium and Portugal the USA wants to be competing at the top level for international competitions every single year Jordan takes a philosophical approach to this dilemma Soccer is now in a transition period after failing to qualify for the 2018 World Cup and is undergoing major leadership changes at the Federation level both in Europe like Christian Pulisic at Chelsea Weston McKennie at Schalke 04 and also via academies in MLS There’s still work to be done before they can get to the pinnacle that they so desire “I think we are still years away from producing a critical mass of talent that can elevate us to top levels in international competition.” Jordan admits honestly “We need more players in top European academies and more MLS clubs to replicate the success of a youth-focused model like at FC Dallas,” which developed McKennie the improvement over time cannot be ignored It’s worth noting that as a boon for developing players Denmark’s leagues have lax rules regarding foreign restrictions which Jordan confesses another one of the main reasons why FC Helsingør presented an attractive option for investment He’s keen also to stress that players benefit from getting experience in other European leagues rather than remaining in academy structures “The environment in European academies is critical to the development of young American players MLS has made great strides and commitments to their academies but it cannot compete yet with the environment in Europe.” Young players need to get a chance with senior pros to develop further It’s “very important for development that players do transition to first team minutes as there is no substitute to playing against real men in a professional environment” in his view Jordan views FC Helsingør as a great chance for young US players to come to for playing opportunities The unwanted tag of ‘feeder club’ doesn’t concern him “Every club in the world is a selling or ‘feeder’ club to someone else unless you are Barcelona.” Although one Royal club from Spain might object to that tag (as might other European giants for that matter) it’s clear to see why Jordan has such a holistic view of FC Helsingør’s position in the footballing hierarchy once you accept that [you are a feeder club] then you can understand where you fit in the global football ecosystem and find ways to thrive We are happy being a club that develops top quality young talent who can move on to bigger clubs in Denmark As a final point, it seems appropriate to refer to another Danish success story. FC Midtjylland stunned the Superliga to win the title for the first time in 2015 using a revolutionary approach centered around big data and embracing technology “I think data will continue to be a vital piece in the success in sport (football included) There are countless examples of big clubs using data in a very sophisticated way and having success most clubs still operate in an old-fashioned way with data being a low (or non-existent) priority and Jordan Gardner is not trying to kid anyone the foundations seem to be stable and successful a loan stint at the club might be an integral step for the development for young American players eager to break into the next generation of USMNT stars It might also yield a surprising chance at silverware and a shot at European knockout football.\ Kronborg Castle in Helsingør: An impressive institute The Football club hopes to live up to this lofty standard There is no tragedy coming in the near future for the town that inspired William Shakespeare’s Hamlet – instead FC Helsingør looks towards a bright future Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker 2022 7:00 AMA Danish City Built Google Into Its Schools—Then Banned ItAn 8-year-old’s YouTube snafu—and one unlikely parent activist—sparked a nationwide debate on the tech giant’s ubiquity and handling of children’s data.Photograph: THIBAULT SAVARY/Getty ImagesSave this storySaveSave this storySaveThe small Danish city of Helsingør is not a place usually in national news headlines most visitors come here to catch the ferry to nearby Sweden or to visit the castle where Shakespeare’s famous tragedy Hamlet was set But the news crews arrived with the start of the new school term in August to capture the chaos caused when local schools banned Google Denmark’s data protection regulator found that local schools did not really understand what Google was doing with students’ data and as a result blocked around 8,000 students from using the Chromebooks that had become a central part of their daily education This chaos had its roots back in August 2019 when one local 8-year-old approached his father with a problem had used the 8-year-old’s YouTube account to write a “very rude” comment under another person’s video and the son was panicking about the possible consequences He was worried he would be punished for harassment or become the target of an online revenge campaign was initially confused; he hadn’t set up a YouTube account for his son and he hadn’t given the school permission to create one either His family was “proudly analog”; his three children don’t have their own smartphones So when Graugaard realized that his son (who he declines to name) had a YouTube account that publicly listed his full name he was shocked and immediately contacted his son’s school tried to wave the issue away as a mistake with private filters they could easily fix Google declined to comment on the specifics of this case but said schools’ IT staff are typically in charge of which Google services students can access This stay-at-home dad—who had never before been involved in any kind of activism—embarked on a three-year campaign to fix what he considered to be a major flaw in the relationship between the Danish public school system and Google It was his official complaint to Denmark’s data protection regulator in December 2019 that inspired the Google ban in Helsingør And his constant efforts to speak to local media and politicians have helped create one of the biggest debates ever to take place in Denmark about how to protect Danish data and have unleashed growing skepticism about the role of American companies in Europe’s public sector allowing students to keep using their Chromebooks while Helsingør and Google negotiate what happens next It’s up to Helsingør to get Google to mend its products to be in line with GDPR Helsingør municipality did not reply to WIRED’s request for comment But Google implies it's the municipality that needs to improve “We’re working with Helsingør municipality to answer questions and share best practices from other European schools that have done risk assessments and use our products,” says Alexandra Ahtiainen head of Google for Education for Northern Europe there is a chance it will apply not just to Helsingør but to schools all over Denmark 45 other municipalities have been in contact with Datasilynet about concerns related to their Google products he was not worried about Google products specifically “My concern was when I put a child into public school private personal data is not allowed to go public without my consent,” he says I didn't understand the seriousness of the case.” But he now finds Google’s involvement in Danish public schools sinister and he wants the company out of the system “Everything [children do] in school is in the cloud which means everything they write in their machine is sent to Google,” he says “We have given Google access to a whole generation.” The main issue Graugaard has highlighted is that they don’t really understand what students’ Google data is used for or where it goes we don't use the data of pupils for targeted advertising We do not sell the data to third parties,” says Jesper Lund chair of digital rights group IT Pol Denmark But there is concern that Google does use students’ data for other purposes such as improving its services or training artificial intelligence Bymidten School is a modern red-brick building in central Helsingør the stretch of water that separates Denmark and Sweden An air of uncertainty now hangs over the school which got a taste of a future without Google during the two-month ban Teachers were forced to discard all their digital lesson plans and instead fetch discarded books out of the cellar children were forced to adapt to pen and paper while their Chromebooks—which had been deactivated by IT staff—sat useless at home The whole saga has been a huge dilemma for schools like his who believes schools don’t have the resources or expertise to be GDPR compliant we really want to take care of students’ data,” he says “I know from my [previous] job as a consultant that the data agreements with Google are not 100 percent transparent we somehow accepted it.” But he also wants to run a functioning “We have put ourselves in a situation where we actually pretty much rely on Chromebooks,” he says Some children could adapt better without them than others Pederson has never heard a single parent complain about data protection he did receive complaints—mostly from parents of dyslexic students who rely on Chromebook tools such as AppWriter There might be ambivalence among many Danish parents—but not all as we are giving too much information to multinational corporations who by their very nature are untrustworthy,” says Jan Gronemann a parent of four whose children go to a school in Haslev Like other Danish privacy activists and local business owners who spoke to WIRED Gronemann is concerned that the data Google has access to about how young people behave online could enable them to be manipulated “If you know the zip code of an individual what their behavior is when they go from Amazon to Disney to Walmart to Target Your prediction ability is huge,” says Omino Gardezi a former Disney consultant who now runs Lirrn a privacy-focused education startup based in Copenhagen The Helsingør case is reminding locals that Google also sends some data overseas and there is growing unease that this means Europeans' data could be accessed by a future administration the bloc might not consider to be an ally “Trump might be the next president again,” says Pernille Tranberg cofounder of Danish think tank Data Ethics EU who says she has been trying to convince Danish schools to use European school software such as Nextcloud for years Google says it has strict standards for government disclosure requests “We’re also supportive of EU and US efforts to find workable solutions to protect privacy and transatlantic data flows which remain essential for the internet to function and for students to access the digital services they rely on every day,” says Google’s Ahtiainen teachers at Bymidten school are not thinking about transatlantic data flows Instead they are wondering if they will be able to function after the final decision on the Google case “We can’t do anything but wait,” says Pederson he still wants answers.“What are they using the data of children in Denmark for?” he asks “It’s very important that we have clarity on this one so we can be assured that we do not sell the children to an international company.” In your inbox: Get Plaintext—Steven Levy's long view on tech Federal judge allows DOGE to take over $500 million office building for free Big Story: The quantum apocalypse is coming Bluesky can’t take a joke Summer Lab: Explore the future of tech with WIRED It is the essential source of information and ideas that make sense of a world in constant transformation The WIRED conversation illuminates how technology is changing every aspect of our lives—from culture to business The breakthroughs and innovations that we uncover lead to new ways of thinking The second leg of our Scandi tour visits the forests following in the footsteps of real and fictional characters Scandi tour: part one Scandi tour: part one I get off the train in Snekkersten, a small coastal town 50km north of Copenhagen. The conductor has already warned me there will be nothing open: no food, no drink, no taxis. She is right. It is late at night. Really late. Close to midnight. I walk past the sleeping houses and along the beach. It is quiet down there. At my hotel, the Villa Brinkly I find my room key inside an envelope pinned to the front door the key securely stored – in the bike’s lock It’s amazing how quickly you can relax into that – and wish the whole planet could be the same I am on the second week of my Scandinavian summer now cycling around the coasts of Sealand (aka Zealand) where there is a new national park to explore after a superb and much-needed breakfast in the hotel’s sunny morning room I load up my bicycle and set out from the back of the hotel I am immediately launched on to a well-made trail through a shady beech forest where deer stand in patches of sunlight and red squirrels stare down from above The desk where Out of Africa and Babette’s Feast were written is there as are Blixen’s travelling trunk and letters So too, reportedly, is the nearby Louisiana Museum of Modern Art but in the heat I choose the meadow by the beach dotted with picnicking families That evening I eat fish and chips sitting on the harbour wall in Espergærde and these offer an easy way to save money in what is the most affordable of the Scandinavian countries a great square bastion with copper-clad towers the castle where William Shakespeare set Hamlet The bard never visited Elsinore (the anglicised name), but his friend and colleague Will Kempe certainly did when King Frederick II was celebrating the complete transformation of his medieval fortress into a Renaissance palace These days there are no ghosts on the battlements just great views and a lively cast of actors The Maritime Museum next door is less satisfying: the building is a bold conversion of an old dry dock but the thematic displays are thin on content is free: views of heritage boats assembled in front of a cafe with narrow streets packed with fascinating and colourful buildings standing in clifftop splendour close to the town of Gilleleje Fortunately my cycling notes point out to me that it “has an anchor outside” The North Sealand coast has quiet beaches perfect for cyclingThe park covers 323 sq km and is so new (inaugurated this spring) that as yet it has no signage but I’m not sure the Danes would go in for them anyway I abandon the main trail to explore side routes discovering groves of twisted ancient trees and then emerge suddenly into the magnificent gardens of Frederiksborg Castle Here the ornate intricacies of the formal gardens are replicated in the interior designs a reminder that Denmark was once both a great monarchy and a colonial power (at various times it held Frederiksborg castle Photograph: AlamyA royal castle is a curious spot at which to end my time in Denmark a country that seems so defiantly against all privilege Some might find the Danish countryside a bit lacking in drama: there are no soaring mountains or dizzying gorges What it offers is an opportunity to travel in a happy country or at least one that is significantly more content than most The pleasure of that leaves a lasting impression and raises all sorts of intriguing questions to while away my onward ferry journey to Sweden Is it the lack of garish advertising and the quiet insistence on self-reliance Or maybe it is nothing more than the gentle good-natured buzz of their commonsensical society better than anything from a touristy gift shop – which is handy not even a tiny gift bottle of liquefied hygge The trip was provided by Inntravel whose four-night cycling tour of North Sealand costs from £715 (including four nights’ accommodation There are flights to Copenhagen with budget airlines from several UK airports Looking for a holiday with a difference? Browse Guardian Holidays now to find a range of fantastic trips housed at Kronborg Castle in Helsingør (Elsinore) held an open competition to design a new building for its extensive historic collection Helsingør Municipality and the Danish Maritime Museum Danish architecture firm Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) won with its imaginative proposal for an ‘invisible’ space Kronborg Castle is a UNESCO World Heritage site located on a peninsula jutting out to sea It is the setting for Shakespeare’s Hamlet and one of Denmark’s biggest tourist attractions the new building had height restrictions imposed so BIG proposed a museum below ground that is both flexible and incorporates the dramatic use of daylight BIG recognised that creating a new building next to one of Denmark’s most important architectural icons required an equal dose of respect and sensitivity but at the same time the firm wanted to design a building that would be outstanding in its own right The total construction cost of the project is estimated at $40m BIG discovered an abandoned concrete dry dock measuring 150m-long The team knew straightaway that they had found the ideal location for their proposal the old dry dock was reinforced so that it wouldn’t cave in BIG considered a number of alternatives – either supporting the structure with an added layer of concrete throughout its interior but this would cover its beautiful old concrete walls or by digging around the dry dock walls and creating supportive rib walls on its exterior Finally the firm proposed putting the museum on the periphery of the dry dock walls to reinforce the structure and also to serve as the façade of the new museum Despite not sticking to the original brief BIG unanimously won over the competition jury as it was the best thought-through proposal The jury believed that the firm demonstrated the best understanding of the sensitivity of the site and the museum’s needs and that it would create a world-class maritime museum for Denmark The new museum is placed around the dry dock preserving the dock as an entirely empty space Visitors arrive through a set of descending ramps and a series of bridges spans the dry dock providing them with short cuts to other parts of the museum The museum includes three bridges: the Kronborg Bridge All three provide access into the museum and exhibition areas An auditorium also serves as a bridge providing direct access from Kronborg Castle to the harbour The building provides the Maritime Museum with a continuous 7,600m² exhibition gallery that feels like the deck of a ship and houses the museum’s large collection of paintings maritime equipment and sailors’ memorabilia this space can be transformed quickly and easily into 12 individual galleries of different shapes and sizes and with different lighting for whenever they are needed for special exhibitions and events BIG says that it would have been ‘architectural suicide’ to fill the dry dock and therefore it decided to empty it and make the space an integral part of the museum It serves as a centre piece – a new urban space open to the air and provides the focus of the gallery BIG says that its vision is to create a lively museum that not only through its wide ranging programme of exhibitions but also its architecture could excite people who just happen to wander by as well as those who had travelled far and wide specifically to visit the museum The dry dock is also used for a range of outdoor activities exhibitions and events that allow the maritime museum to contribute to the cultural life of Helsingør throughout the year And the museum building not only houses the current collection but also allows for new interactive exhibitions – possible ideas include ship simulators an interactive map of the world’s seas and time-lapse photography showing how ships are built Financing of the project was provided by 11 foundations Møller og Hustru Chastine Mc-Kinney Møllers Fond til almene Formaal TORM’s Understøttelsesfond and ØK’s Almennyttige Fond Design and feasibility studies for the museum started in September 2008 Construction commenced in September 2010 and was completed in 2013 The Kronborg and Zig-Zag Bridge were made in China Bridge sections arrived from China to Elsinore in the middle of September 2012 Construction of the Kronborg Bridge was completed using cranes Other construction activities at the site included laying the main cables for electricity installing drain layers and insulating cables Ramboll was the consulting engineer and Alectia was responsible for project management Kossmann.Dejong was responsible for designing the interiors Pihl & Søn was involved in the construction Give your business an edge with our leading industry insights View all newsletters from across the GlobalData Media network. The current head to head record for the teams are FC Helsingør 4 win(s) Have scored 9 goals in their last 5 matches Haven't kept a clean sheet in 10 matches HIK have won the previous 2 matches against FC Helsingør FC Helsingør is playing home against HIK on Fri By The M/S Maritime Museum of Denmark (Danish: M/S Museet for Søfart) in Elsinore (Helsingør) is the most important museum dedicated to the maritime history of Denmark Fully accessible to physically impaired people The Maritime Museum of Denmark by BIG – Bjarke Ingels Group A series of three double-level bridges span the dry dock as well as providing visitors with shortcuts to different sections of the museum The harbor bridge closes off the dock while serving as a harbor promenade; the museum’s auditorium serves as a bridge connecting the adjacent Culture Yard with the Kronborg Castle and the sloping zig-zag bridge navigates visitors to the main entrance This bridge unites the old and new as the visitors descend into the museum space overlooking the majestic surroundings above and below ground The long and noble history of the Danish Maritime unfolds in a continuous motion within and around the dock All floors – connecting exhibition spaces with the auditorium and the dock floor within the museum – slope gently creating exciting and sculptural spaces On the left: image by Rasmus Hjortshoj; On the right: image by Luca Santiago Mora – courtesy of BIG-Bjarke Ingels Group copyright Inexhibit 2025 - ISSN: 2283-5474