ELSINORE' (Dan. Helsingor), a t. and seaport of Denmark, on the island of Seeland, is situated on the western shore of the sound, and at its narrowest part, 3f m. w.s.w. of the town of Helsingborg in Sweden, and 24 m. n. of Copenhagen. Lat. 56° 2' n., long. 12° 36' east. The town, which has been in recent times considerably improved, is spa cious, and consists of one long principal street, with several lateral branches. The cathedral, containing some fine tombs, many of them very old, may be considered as one of the most interesting edifices. At a short distance to the e. of E. are the castle and the fortress of Kronborg, the former a white stone building in the Gothic style, and the latter, a stronghold mounted with guns that command the sound in all directions. To the n.w. of E., and in its immediate vicinity, is the royal château of Marienlist, the pleasure-grounds of which, occupying the crest of a hill, are open to the public. From the grounds of Marienlist, magnificent views may be had of the sound, of Helsingborg, and of the plains of Sweden. The harbor of E., formed by a wooden pier, is accessible
to ships of light draught. E. has a brisk foreign trade, and has, besides, manufactures of straw-hats, arms, sugar, brandy, etc., also cotton-printing and fisheries. The sound dues (q.v.) were collected here. Pop. '70, 8,891.
Saxo Grammaticus, a famous writer of the 12th c., was born here. Here Shake speare laid the scene of his Hamlet, a perversion of history on the part of the great dramatist, as Jutland, not Seeland, was Hamlet's country. The vaults under the castle of Kronborg were supposed to be the residence of Holger Danske, the mythic hero of Denmark, who never appeared above ground save when the country was in danger, and was then supposed to march at the head of the Danish armies. In severe winters the sound is frozen over at E., so that one can walk over the ice from Denmark to Sweden.