Home | Castles of Sweden

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HomeAdmin2021-02-18T19:43:52+01:00

Welcome!

Discover Sweden’s past and present through the beauty and history of Sweden’s castles, palaces and manors.

Located deep within endless nature or in the middle of sprawling cities; castles, palaces and manors make up some of the many treasures to be found in Sweden. Each has its own exciting story to tell and gives you an insight into how Sweden has evolved over the centuries to become the place it is today.

The Fantastic Tidö

The Fantastic Tidö

Admin2021-02-12T10:48:19+01:00Tina Klingspor|

A visit to Fiholm

A visit to Fiholm

Admin2021-02-18T17:15:46+01:00Tina Klingspor|

Happy New Year

Happy New Year

Admin2021-01-01T10:29:11+01:00Stories|

One of the world’s greatest baroque castles

One of the world’s greatest baroque castles

Admin2020-09-13T15:17:49+02:00Stories|

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On the western shore of Sweden’s second largest

On the western shore of Sweden’s second largest island, Öland, Borgholm castle guarded the entrance to Sweden, perhaps not very successfully. Today, the ruins leave no visitor untouched and most are overwhelmed by the location and sheer size of the castle when they visit.

900 years ago a defensive keep was built at Borgholm. Only a hundred years later buildings for the castle itself began. After having been a premier residence in Medieval times of among others Ingeborg, the daughter of King Erik of Norway who married Magnus Ladulås’ son Valdemar, it fell in to a period of decay until the Vasa Kings - Johan III started refurbishing it around 1569 and it became one of the first grand bastions of Sweden.

When the Kalmar War broke out in April 1611, Danish troops captured the castle but the future Swedish King Gustav II Adolf recaptured it within two months. Only 23 days after the 16 year old future King’s feat, his father, King Karl IX, died on October 30. It continued to play an important role throughout the 17th Century but it was never actually completed. The partially completed baroque palace built by Karl X Gustav is the closest it ever came to being completed. After his death in 1660 and changes in succession meant priorities continuously changed.

It burnt to the ground in 1806 when it functioned as a clothing factory under Axel Adlersparre.

Today, it is owned and maintained by the National Property Board of Sweden. It is phenomenal place well worth a visit, especially in the summer when the castle's courtyard is turned in to an epic concert venue!

Photo: @copter_shot

Listed by @cnntravel as one of the most beautiful

Listed by @cnntravel as one of the most beautiful castles in the world!

Steeped in history, Kalmar Castle can brag with a story of some 800 years! It has played a decisive role in Swedish history since buildings first began at the end of the 12th Century.

Knut Eriksson was its first master, then Magnus Ladulås who built a defensive keep. Together with the castles Tre Kronor, Viborg and Älvsborg it was considered one of the four most important castles that protected the country. During this era, the border to Denmark was (before Scania and Blekinge became Swedish) not far away!

The castle as we see it today was built by the Vasa kings - Gustav and his two sons Erik XIV and Johan III. But, long before the reign of the Vasas the castle had already established its position in the history of Sweden and Denmark as the place where the Treaty of the Kalmar Union was signed 1397.

At the end of the 1600s the castle ceased to be a royal residence and it fell into an era of decay. An odd thing to happen for a castle that had been besieged 22 times in 394 years but never taken by enem forces.

In the 1850s, King Oscar I decided that it was time to put things back in to order and started a major restoration scheme. The restoration continued for decades and it is still today carefully maintained. The restoration was of pivotal importance and when visitors today pass through the walls they are greeted by the very finest example of a Swedish renaissance castle.

Photo: @raphael_crefcoeur

⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣#kalmar #kalmarslott #sweden⁣ #visitsweden #history #castlesofsweden #slott #svenskaslott #castlehunting #castle #castles #schloss #chateau

Fairytale castle Stora Sundby outside Eskilstuna i

Fairytale castle Stora Sundby outside Eskilstuna is known since the 1300s as a defensive fortress by the name Sundaby. The foundations, found during an archaeological excavation in 1960, can be seen in the adjacent park. Early documents reveal that it was conquered by Albrekt of Mecklenburg in 1364 during his war against Magnus Eriksson to be King of Sweden. By the 1500s the fortress was abandoned but a new castle called Stora Sundby was built for Lars Siggesson Sparre and completed 1584. During the 16- and 1700s extensions were made such as the Hall of Knights (1660) and the fourth tower (following Erik Sparre’s restorations around 1722).

The Sparre of Sundby-family died out in the early 1800s and in 1824 (or 1827) the house was acquired by Count Carl De Geer. Immensely rich, he commissioned a great renovation- and building scheme. His wife Ulrika Sprengtporten was unimpressed with the old house and wanted a romantic medieval castle. De Geer commissioned Peter Frederick Robinson, who had built Walter Scott’s Abbotsford House in Scotland. When completed in 1848 it had taken master builder Abraham Nyström 16 years to complete the castle with its 4 towers symbolising the seasons, 12 smaller turrets for the months, 52 rooms for the weeks and 365 windows.

Through marriage it now belongs to the Klingspor family. Ulrika’s and Carl’s great grandchild Louise Silfverschiöld married Count Carl Klingspor. They moved to the castle in 1937 following the death of tenant Countess Stephanie von Wedel. Today it is the home of Mauritz and Ida-Sofia Klingspor who recently took over the estate from Mauritz father Johan Klingspor.

Photo: @inzane92

#storasundby #sodermanland #sweden⁣ #visitsweden #history #castlesofsweden #castle #slott #svenskaslott #castlehunting #castle #schloss #chateau

Ekolsund Castle is an earlier royal castle outside

Ekolsund Castle is an earlier royal castle outside the city of Enköping with a very well-preserved baroque park including an arboretum. The castle itself was completed in stages during the 16- and 1700s and several of the very best Swedish architects such as Simon de la Vallée, Nicodemus Tessin the Older and Carl Hårleman. Carl Fredrik Adelcrantz and Jean Eric Rehn have put their mark on the interior.

The estate originates from the 1300s and, most notably, has been the summer residence of Gustav III for 38 years. Today the estate is privately owned but available for hire and visits. We recommend a meal at the nearby Inn.

Photo: @ekolsundsslott /Nils Lidbaum

Happy National Day! 🇸🇪

Happy National Day! 🇸🇪

Originally an iron works, today’s palace is situ

Originally an iron works, today’s palace is situated on an island surrounded by the river. An iron works owned by the crown was established in the 1560s and from 1587 it was rented out to Dutchman Wellam de Wijk who began producing cannons. In 1598 the estate was returned to the crown under the estates of Duke Johan, the son of King Johan III.

In 1641, Louis De Geer purchased the entire estate from the crown and laid the foundation for the current palace on 23rd October 1668. De Geer himself made some of the early drawings and completed the main building by 1685.

In 1918 it became the property of STAL-LAVAL when they bought it from Axel Ekman. STAL-LAVAL produced turbines. In 2003 it became the property of Siemens who still today have their turbine “offices” in the castle. The castle is closed to the public but visitors are welcome to stroll the park.

Photo: @jraerials

FOR SALE. Sjöberga manor outside Åtvidaberg i

FOR SALE.

Sjöberga manor outside Åtvidaberg in Östergötland was built in 1850 and offers representative accommodation amidst 74 hectares of land. The grounds have a rich wildlife and offer both fishing, qualitative hunting as well as a stable. The manor comes with private ponds for crayfishing.

The main house offers 500 sq.m. divided over 10 rooms. It is for sale via @areal.se for 20 Million SEK.

Photo: @areal.se

Majestic Bosjökloster Castle was founded as a nun

Majestic Bosjökloster Castle was founded as a nunnery by the Benedictine Order already in the 1180s (it might be even older). We can at least ascertain it to 1181 due to a preserved document from when Pope Lucius III confirmed its privileges as an abbey. It remained an abbey for 300 years until in became a castle following the Danish Reformation. As a property of the Danish Crown it was donated to the Archbishop of Lund Torbern Bille, but only after he promised to care for the remaining nuns. In 1560 King Frederick II of Denmark gave the estate as a barter to the widowed noblewoman Thale Ulfstand. Her initials and the year 1569 can still be seen on large oak doors.

The castle passed to the Beck family through marriage in 1629, but when Jochum Beck (1602-1682) lost the family fortune, it was sold to Corfitz Ulfeldt (1606–1664) to repay his debts. Ulfeldt was a Danish aristocrat famous for having switched sides. When he showed up at the peace negotiations at the Treaty of Roskilde proceedings to negotiate on behalf of Sweden, he was convicted of treason by a Danish court. Soon thereafter, he was also convicted of treason by a Swedish court. Having failed so profoundly he was forced into exile. His wife Leonora Christina (1621-1698), daughter of King Christian IV, was captured in his place by the Danish authorities and was imprisoned in the Blue Tower in Copenhagen for 22 years.

Bosjökloster Castle was sequestered by the Swedish state and fell into disrepair. After a lawsuit in 1735, Bosjökloster was returned to the Beck family, who renovated the castle. They sold it in 1908 to Count Philip Bonde, whose family still owns Bosjökloster.

Today, parts of the castle and grounds are open for visitors and guided tours are offered. It is of course also a very popular venue for events and weddings.

Photo: @bandis_88

Karsholm Castle with its surrounding estate is an

Karsholm Castle with its surrounding estate is an impressive one, lying on a peninsula in the lakes of north east Scania. The estate is 2100 hectares large and most of it is used for production in one way or another, mainly forestry. Since 1869 the estate has been cared for by the Treschow family.

The beautiful castle is built in Dutch Renaissance style or, it having been Danish, Christian IV-style. The name of the estate has been almost unchanged since 1366 when it was known as Karstathaholm. Originally a Medieval castle which was established on the strategic site it received its present look in the 1860s.

The castle was owned by the Krognos family from at least the end of the 1400s until the 1590s when the family Podebusk took over. Claus Podebusk “the Rich” began construction of the first palace looking house. He never got the time to complete it though and it remained a building site until 1627 when it had also changed ownership to the Gyldenstierna family. They owned it until 1730 when Niels Sehested inherited it from his mother, Sofia Gyldenstierna. It is claimed that Niels son, Anders, was the last Danish nobleman who owned an hereditary estate in Scania. The Swedish King Gustav III did not appreciate this and in 1781 he encouraged the Governor, Fredrik Ulrik von Rosen to buy Karsholm. It was taken over by his son-in-law Count Erik Ruuth in 1792 and then again to his son-in-law Karl Klas Piper. In 1855, Rudolf Stiernswärd purchased the estate and had the palace rebuilt in 1862 by Danish architect Christian Zwingmann who also built Kulla Gunnarstorp and Marvinsholm manors.

In 1869 it was sold to the Treschow family who still today remain the owners. It is a private house but the surroundings are open to the public.

Photo: @missjbphotos

We got so many messages requesting aerials of yest

We got so many messages requesting aerials of yesterday's update on Löfstad Castle.

These great shots were taken by @fotograf_andersson. See yesterday's post for history.

Torrential downpour in Sweden! Löfstad Castle ou

Torrential downpour in Sweden!

Löfstad Castle outside Norrköping was built by Field Marshal and Count Axel Lillie and his wife Christina Mörner between 1637-1660. The estate had belonged to the family since at least 1510.

Following a devastating fire in 1750 the house was given a new roof that was more in line with current trends. The exterior that we still see today has been preserved since this time. An English park was added around the year 1800. The interior is mostly more recent but preserved as it was when the last occupant, Emilie Piper, died in 1926. Following the death of her sister Sophie, who died without heirs, the castle was willed to the House of Nobility and Östergötland Museum. The House of Nobility owns the estate and the museum owns the inventory. The castle has been open to the public since 1942.

Photo: @lofstadslott

King Oscar II's office at the Royal Palace in Sto

King Oscar II's office at the Royal Palace in Stockholm. Oscar reigned Sweden between 1872-1907. A time that saw many modernisations, not least electric light as can be seen by the table lamp. In the left corner we see a painting of his wife Sophia of Nassau.

Photo: @kungligaslotten

We just love Jordberga Castle in Skåne with its b

We just love Jordberga Castle in Skåne with its baroque house and English park. It’s an old estate mentioned as early as 1355 when owned by the Gagge family. For a long time, Jordberga belonged to Denmark and most notably one of Skåne’s most power Danes, namely Iver Tagesen Krabbe. During the war in 1644 Jordberga was burnt by the Swedes but Krabbe rebuilt the house.

Today, it is owned by the von Arnold-Grön family. It is home to Carl-Adam and his wife Marie. His father Otto was a member of the Swedish Parliament between 2007-2013.

Today it is very much a working estate. Luckily, the family has opened the castle and the estate for the public. It is possible to rent certain areas for weddings and conferences and the family will show the house for pre booked guests!

Photo: @enstudiophotography

When is it not a good time to drink champagne? Las

When is it not a good time to drink champagne? Last week we had the most wonderful champagne experience at Stockholm's "nearest castle", Ulfsunda Castle, and the launch of the Bollinger RD 2007. The wine cellar, where vintage wines sit side by side with champagne, outdates the castle itself, which was built by Field Marshal Lennart Torstenson between 1644-1647. When completed it looked quite a bit different from today as can be seen in Suecia antiqua et hodierna.

It was built in a clear German-Dutch Renaissance style with a steeper roof, ornaments and al fresco paintings. When Baron von Essen acquired the estate in the early 1800s he sold the copper roof and gave it the flatter roof we see today. He also repainted the facade according to the fashion of the time. The last private owner was Prime Minister Gustaf Åkerhielm. Two years after his death in 1900 the estate was sold. The land was purchased by the city and the castle by the county council.

Today, Ulfsunda is a hotel and conference facility. The four wings have been turned into 54 hotel rooms – after a good night's sleep, we can attest that the rooms have everything you need for a comfortable stay. The food by @chefjuhlin is just as excellent, and was paired beautifully with the champagne. Check out our stories for more pictures!

Experiencing Ulfsunda and Bollinger RD 2007 was an absolute delight. Thank you @champane_bollinger, @smaka_arvidnordquist and @ulfsundaslott for a wonderful evening!

Photo: @castlesofsweden

Spring in Sweden and Skåne! Björnstorps Castle

Spring in Sweden and Skåne!

Björnstorps Castle is situated some 20 kilometres south-east of university town Lund in the very south of Sweden. Already in the 1500s there was a manor house on the estate owned by the Danish King. During the Northern Seven Years’ War 1563-1570, when Danish King Frederick II was dissatisfied with dissolution of the Kalmar Union and the Swedish King Erik XIV aiming to break Denmark’s dominating position in the north, Mickel Göing helped the Danish King which led to a huge reward. He was in 1568 titled Björnstorp in Skaane and ennobled three years later.

The ownership is rather uncertain after Mickel Göing but at the end of the 1600s it was owned by the very wealthy Mette Rosenkrantz. Her daughter, Mette Krabbe, inherited the estate in 1683 and married Minister Johan Monrad who due to a number of bad businesses was forced to sell Björnstorp in 1712. It was then purchased by Christina Piper (Törnflycht) who was married to the former Minister and Marshall Count Carl Piper who for long periods of time was not present at the estate. While he was away fighting with King Karl XII and later prisoner of war in Russia for seven years where he also died in 1716, she purchased, built and restored several estates and palace such as Christinehof, Krageholm, Sturefors, Anrarum, Ängsö, Toppeladugård, Högestad, Assartorp and Östra Torup. She was a truly impressive and powerful woman of her time!

After drawings by Carl Hårleman she rebuilt Björnstorp in 1750 and it was completed around the same time as she sadly passed away on Krageholm’s Castle in 1752. Two years later it was sold to Fredrik Gustav Gyllenkrok and since then it has stayed with the family. It received its current appearance at rebuild in 1868 by Helgo Zettervall.

Today, Björnstorps entailed estate is owned by Nils Gyllenkrok after his father Captain Thure Gabriel Gyllenkrok passed away in 2011. In 1975 the fantastic estate encompassed some 2509 hectares.

Photo: @annakuylen

Bjärka-Säby is a magnificent baroque-styled esta

Bjärka-Säby is a magnificent baroque-styled estate located south of Linköping in Östergötland overlooking the lake Stora Rängen. There are actually two houses on the estate usually named the old and the new. The estate itself is known since the 1300s but the houses are quite a bit newer.

The new house was commissioned by the Swedish diplomat and nobleman Germund Louis Cederhielm in 1791 and completed some 9 years later at the turn of the century. The original house was drawn by Fredrik Magnus Piper in neo-classical style and the surrounding landscape was laid out as an English park. The design of the park was astonishing, especially since Piper was actually more known for his garden designs than houses.

In 1872 the estate was purchased by Consul Oscar Ekman who together with his son Oscar developed the entire estate into a flourishing agricultural estate.

Between 1894 and 1898 Agi Lindegren reconstructed the house and this is when it was given the current roof and a more baroque-looking impression. If you look at the roof it is not unlike the House of Nobility in Stockholm.

The Ekman family later, in 1980, donated the estate to the Sion Congregation in Linköping, a Pentecostal movement.

Photo: @visit_linkoping

#bjärka-säby #östergötland #sweden⁣ #visitsweden

Stegeborg is mentioned already in the 13th Century

Stegeborg is mentioned already in the 13th Century when defensive measures were built to guard the sea entrance to the town of Söderköping, one of Sweden’s wealthiest cities at the time. Historically it was tied to the estate of Skällsvik which belonged to the Bishop of Linköping. The brick tower in the southeast corner is the oldest part of the castle. Extensions to make in habitable was added in the 1300s. It is likely that King Birger Magnusson stayed at Stegeborg for some time. At least we know that he sent letters from Stegeborg in the period between 1310-1316. During the Kalmar Union Stegeborg was owned by the crown.

Sweden’s “founding father” Gustav Vasa’s second son John III was born at Stegeborg on 20 December 1537 and thus it came to be a castle closely connected to the Swedish monarchy. Already in the 1540s renovations began and Esbjörn Pedersson Lilliehöök was appointed bailiff. Future King Johan III was not only born at Stegeborg, he was also raised at the important castle. In 1578 he decided that further renovations should be made and these lasted until 1590. When Johan died in 1592 the castle continued to play an important role in the Swedish monarchy as Gustav II Adolf conferred the castle and vast amounts of land to his brother in law Johan Casimir of Pfalz-Zweibrücken in 1622. Later, in 1651, he also received the title Duke of Stegeborg. When Johan Casimir died the ducal title passed to his son Karl Gustav. When Karl Gustav succeeded his cousin Queen Christina in 1654 and became King Karl X Gustav the ducal title passed to his younger brother Adolf Johan who lived at the castle until his death in 1689. Stegeborg was then reverted to the crown and in 1731 it was sold and mostly demolished to serve as building material for the town of Norrköping.

A new manor which serves as a private residence was built b y the von Schwerin family in 1806. Today, the Danielsson family owns the estate and operate it as a very successful tourist destination.

Photo: @ostergotlandibilder

Ulriksdal Palace is a royal palace just north of S

Ulriksdal Palace is a royal palace just north of Stockholm. It was originally called Jakobsdal after its owner Jacob De la Gardie, who commissioned it as a country retreat between 1643-1645. He passed it on to his son, Magnus Gabriel De la Gardie, who later sold it to the Swedish Queen Hedvig Eleonora in 1669. The palace as we see it today is mainly the work of architect Nicodemus Tessin the Elder and dates from the late 17th century.

Hedvig Eleonora had grand plans for the palace and renamed it Ulriksdal in 1684 in honor of her grandson Prince Ulric. The prince died at the age of one but Hedvig Eleonora kept the palace until her death in 1715 when the property was transferred to the crown and King Frederick I.

Under King Frederick I in the 1720s, the palace architect Carl Hårleman had different ideas than Tessin the Elder. In the mid-18th century, the palace was occupied by King Adolf Frederick and Queen Louisa Ulrika. During the reign of Adolf Frederick and his son Gustav III of Sweden it was one of the main residences of the royal court. From 1792 until 1813, it served as residence for the queen dowager of Gustav III, Sophia Magdalena of Denmark. After her death, the palace was uninhabited until 1821.

During the reign of Charles XV the palace was used as a summer residence. This tradition continued under King Oscar II and it served as Queen Sophia’s residence until her death in 1913.

In 1923, Prince Gustav Adolf, the future King Gustaf VI Adolf, married Louise Mountbatten and the palace was closely associated with the royal couple.

The palace has been open to the public since 1986.

Photo: @sebastiangrafe.visuals

#ulriksdal #uppland #sweden

Magical Trollenäs Castle is a very impressive cas

Magical Trollenäs Castle is a very impressive castle with its 96 rooms and over 2000 square meters! Known as Näs since the 1380s it belonged to the Danish Thott family for 300 years until Knut Thott in 1682 traded the estate to Helle Trolle, widow to the Councillor of State, Admiral and vice-roy of Norway Nils Trolle and owner of Gavnø castle in Denmark. Gavnø is also the estate that Thott received in the trade.

The Trolle family belongs to Sweden’s ancient nobility and traces its roots to the province of Småland in southern Sweden. Around the year 1500 the family was one of the largest landowners in all of Scandinavia and they established their seat at Bergkvara.

When Helle died, the estate passed to her son Arvid who’s son Fredrik Trolle took over the estate in 1720 and made it an entailed estate for the benefit of his grandson Fredrik Trolle. The former Fredrik renamed the estate Trollenäs. Although he made Trollenäs an entail estate he did not forget his daughters who received vast estates and capital with the promise that the name Trolle should be remembered. This is how beautiful estates like Trolle-Ljungby, Trolleholm, Trolleberg and Trollesund came to bear the name Trolle. And of course this also followed through marriage with other families and the names Trolle-Bonde, Trolle-Wachtmeister and others were formed.

In 1890 Nils Trolle inherited the estate and he commissioned a substantial transformation of the then white castle between 1891-1893 by the famous Danish architect Ferdinand Meldahl. The result was a not only beautiful but also an impressive castle complex in a Mediaeval renaissance style - in brick.

Nils and his wife, Anna Lejonhufvud, were the socialites of their time, regularly hosting lavish parties attended by Kings and Queens. Both King Oscar II and Gustav V are said to have had their own permanent suites!

This remarkable estate is still privately owned by the Trolle family. Since 2010, Nils great grandson Ulf is the family's guardian of Trollenäs. The castle is open to the public and if you are lucky you may get a glimpse of its owner when you visit!

Photo: @sillwio

#trollenäs #castlesofsweden #svenskaslott

Imagine a light summer evening in 1834. Desideria

Imagine a light summer evening in 1834. Desideria had been crowned just 5 years ago and was her happiest at Rosersberg Castle. Guests were now eagerly awaiting the arrival of the Queen and her King through the doors!

Sadly, Karl XIV Johan and Desideria did not have the best relationship, perhaps because she was never very keen on moving to Sweden. She is said to have had some of her best days at Rosersberg with the hens by her side although she did think it a little too far to travel (today it takes about 30 minutes from the Royal Palace in central Stockholm).

She is known for having turned day into night and night into day. She slept all day and preferred to be up and about during the night. When at Rosersberg she enjoyed her nightly walks in the park. However, she was deadly scared of bats and let her ladies-in-waiting walk ahead wearing white dresses to attract the bats!

Karl Johan died in 1844 but her son Oscar I let her keep her apartment at the royal palace where she had lived as queen. She did however always long for France and her house on Rue d’Anjou was always kept in good condition and her French interests were looked after by her brother’s son the Vicomte de Clary.

While visiting the Opera in Stockholm in 1860 she suddenly fell ill and quickly returned to the Royal Palace. She died later that evening.

Photo: @jepsolell