Shakespeares Elsinore
Shakespeare's Elsinore
»Noget er råddent i Danmarks rige« — den ene sætning har solgt mere markedsføring for Kronborg end nogen turistbrochure nogensinde.
"Something is rotten in the state of Denmark" — that single line has done more for Kronborg's image than any tourist brochure ever could.
Historien om Hamlet er ældre end Shakespeare. Den danske historieskriver Saxo Grammaticus optegnede den i 1200-tallet i sit værk Gesta Danorum: prins Amled af Jylland, hvis far er myrdet af sin onkel, lader som om han er sindssyg, indtil hævnens time slår. Det er ud fra denne saga — via en fransk gengivelse — at den engelske dramatiker skrev sit stykke omkring år 1600.
The story of Hamlet is older than Shakespeare. The Danish historian Saxo Grammaticus recorded it in his Gesta Danorum in the 13th century: Prince Amled of Jutland, whose father has been murdered by an uncle, feigns madness until the hour of revenge arrives. From this saga — via a French retelling — the English playwright wrote his play around 1600.
Hvorfor valgte han Kronborg? Sandsynligvis fordi flere af hans engelske teaterkolleger faktisk havde optrådt ved Frederik IIs hof i Helsingør. Han var aldrig selv i Danmark, men hans version af stedets navn — Elsinore — er den, det er kendt under i resten af verden. Forholdet er gensidigt: uden Kronborg ingen Hamlet, men uden Hamlet havde Kronborg næppe stået på UNESCOs liste i dag.
Why did he choose Kronborg? Probably because several of his English actor-colleagues had actually performed at Frederick II's court in Helsingør. He never set foot in Denmark himself, but his version of the castle's name — Elsinore — is the one the rest of the world knows it by. The relationship is mutual: without Kronborg, no Hamlet, but without Hamlet, Kronborg might not stand on UNESCO's list today.
Stykket har været opført på selve Kronborg hver eneste sommer siden 1816 — året for 200-året for Shakespeares død. Olivier, Gielgud, Burton, Branagh og Cumberbatch har alle stået på de samme planker. Det er Europas længstløbende Shakespeare-festival på sit oprindelige sted.
The play has been staged at Kronborg every summer since 1816 — the year of the 200th anniversary of Shakespeare's death. Olivier, Gielgud, Burton, Branagh and Cumberbatch have all stood on the same boards. It is Europe's longest-running Shakespeare festival at its original site.
Christian IV — bygmesterkongen
Christian IV — the builder-king
Han var elleve år gammel, da han blev konge i 1588. Han regerede i 60 år, og næsten alt, han rørte ved, byggede han om.
He was eleven years old when he became king in 1588. He reigned for 60 years, and almost everything he touched, he rebuilt.
Christian IV er den enkeltperson, der har sat flest aftryk på den danske slotsarkitektur. Det var ham, der opførte Rosenborg som privat lysthus i Kongens Have. Det var ham, der fik bygget hele Frederiksborg på tre øer i en sø. Det var ham, der fuldførte Kronborgs renæssanceudbygning efter branden i 1629. Og det var ham, der rejste Rundetårn, Børsen, Holmens Kirke, hele bydelen Christianshavn med dens kanaler — og grundlagde byerne Christiania (Oslo), Glückstadt og Christianstad.
Christian IV is the single individual who left the deepest mark on Danish castle architecture. It was he who built Rosenborg as a private summerhouse in the King's Garden. It was he who built the whole of Frederiksborg on three islands in a lake. It was he who completed Kronborg's Renaissance restoration after the fire of 1629. And it was he who raised the Round Tower, the Exchange, Holmen's Church, the entire district of Christianshavn with its canals — and founded the cities of Christiania (Oslo), Glückstadt and Christianstad.
Han var også enormt aktiv som menneske: han skrev personligt mere end 3.000 breve, han designede skibe og bygninger med egen hånd, han spillede lut, han kunne fem sprog, han havde 24 børn med adskillige kvinder. Han førte tre krige: mod Sverige (tabt), i Tysklands trediveårige krig (tabt med nederlag og personlig sårning) og igen mod Sverige (uafgjort).
He was also enormously active as a person: he personally wrote more than 3,000 letters, he designed ships and buildings with his own hand, he played the lute, he spoke five languages, he had 24 children by several women. He fought three wars: against Sweden (lost), in Germany's Thirty Years' War (lost, with personal injury) and against Sweden again (a draw).
I 1644, 67 år gammel, kommanderede han personligt sit flagskib Trefoldigheden i slaget ved Femern Bælt. En kanonkugle eksploderede tæt på ham, og han mistede synet på højre øje, men nægtede at forlade dækket. Han blev nationalt symbol på et øjeblik. Det blodige tøj, han bar den dag, ligger stadig udstillet på Rosenborg.
In 1644, aged 67, he personally commanded his flagship Trefoldigheden at the battle of Fehmarn Belt. A cannonball exploded close to him, and he lost the sight of his right eye, but refused to leave the deck. He became a national symbol in a single moment. The bloodied clothes he wore that day are still on display at Rosenborg.
Han døde i 1648, fattig, gigtramt og bitter — men byggeriet stod. Næsten hver eneste vigtig dansk slotsfacade fra perioden 1600–1648 bærer hans monogram «C4».
He died in 1648, poor, crippled by gout and embittered — but the buildings stood. Almost every important Danish castle façade from 1600–1648 carries his monogram "C4".
