The story of Holger Danish
- Statue from 1907
- The statue you can find under Kronborg is a cast of the original bronze statue made by sculptor H. P. Pedersen-Dan in 1907.
- The Legend
- The myth of Holger Danske can be traced back to the French Rolandskvad, La Chanson de Roland, from 1060.
In the casemates, Holger Danske sleeps like a stone. Actually, he sleeps like a cast, but according to myth, the great warrior wakes up when Denmark is in extreme danger. Until then, he is mostly quite peaceful, and here you can read more about who he is.
Holger the Dane
The giant under Kronborg
Is Holger even Danish?
Holger Danske is a legendary figure in European history and folklore. He originates from French medieval legends where he was a knight in the court of Charlemagne, known as Ogier le Danois.
Read more about the historical Holger
Holger the Dane
The adventure of a hero
Peter Ilsted, Hans Christian Andersen
Holger is coming to Denmark
Although the tales of Holger Danske date back to the Middle Ages, it was Hans Christian Andersen who made the legendary hero a central figure in Danish culture. Andersen who made the legendary hero a central figure in Danish culture in the mid-1800s. In his 1846 fairy tale, Andersen placed Holger Danske in the casemates under Kronborg and cast him as the protector of Denmark, who wakes up to defend the homeland should it be in danger. H.C. Andersen's version gave the legend new power and made Holger Danske the powerful symbol we know today.
Peter Ilsted, Hans Christian Andersen
Resistance and war
A symbol comes to life
During World War II, one of the largest resistance groups was inspired by Holger's strong symbolic meaning when they went by the name Holger Danske. The group fought fiercely against the German occupation, risking their lives to protect the country, Danish values and innocent lives.
Visit the Freedom Museum and learn more about the Danish resistance struggle
Holger today
Casting underground
The large statue of Holger Danske in the casemates is a cast of the original bronze statue made by Danish sculptor H. P. Pedersen-Dan in 1907. The cast of the statue of Holger Danske was first made in plaster, but as the humidity in the casemates is very high, the plaster could not withstand it. The statue of Holger Danske that you visit down in the Casemates today is therefore made of concrete in 1985.
