Castles of Sweden – Sharing the beauty and history of Sweden's castles, palaces and manors

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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.

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+01:00Stories|

von Fersen’s Gustavian gem

von Fersen’s Gustavian gem

Admin2020-08-24T15:00:02+01:00Stories|

An afternoon at Lejondal

An afternoon at Lejondal

Admin2020-09-13T16:48:00+01:00Stories|

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FOR SALE. Gimmersta Manor is a piece of Swedish h

FOR SALE.

Gimmersta Manor is a piece of Swedish history that sits on the shore of Lake Öljaren in Södermanland. The estate is first mentioned in 1262. The Manor house was completed in the 1720s and is built in Swedish Carolean style and is very well preserved.

It was, for an extended period, owned by the Ryning family and later by the Ribbing family. In 1805 it was purchased by David Henrik Hildebrand who made it an entailed estate for his nephew Carl Carlsson Bonde. Its status as an entailed estate did not last long but it stayed with the Bonde family until 2010 when Torgils Bonde sold the estate to Robert and Kerstin Liljekvist. The listed price was 300 million SEK.

The house is surrounded by an English park and 2 800 hectares land as well as 500 hectares of the lake. In 1908 it was listed with 6 300 hectares so it has been reduced over the past 100 years.

It is currently for sale by Karl Danielsson Egendomar for a mere 375 Million SEK.

Photo: @ackelmanphoto

Post in cooperation with Karl Danielsson Egendomar.

#gimmersta #södermanland #sweden⁣ #visitsweden #discoverearth #history #castlesofsweden #castle #slott #svenskaslott #castlehunting #castle #castles #architecture #schloss #chateau

Marsvinsholm Castle sits magnificently in its 400

Marsvinsholm Castle sits magnificently in its 400 year old moat in the very south of Sweden. The earliest known history stretches as far back as late Medieval times when we, in 1371, find evidence of a manor called Borsjö located just south of the current castle.

It became the possession of Otte Marsvin in 1629 who inherited it from his aunt, Birgitte Marsvin. He was born at Dybäck Castle and apart from Marsvinsholm he also became the owner of Krageholm and Clausholm. Otte built an elegant Renaissance castle surrounded by a moat in 1644-48. Otte and his wife Mette Brahe never came down with a son but their daughter Margrethe, who married Jörgen Urne - a famous warrior and diplomat, was blessed with a son named Christian, who inherited Marsvinsholm from his grandfather in 1647.

Christian lost the estate following the Peace Treaty of Roskilde in 1658 and it fell to Gustaf Otto Stenbock. But following the Second Danish War (as described in Sweden) Urne swore his allegiance to the Swedish King and was granted back his family’s castle. When he died in 1667 it was sold to Holger Ottesen Thott.

It was restored in 1782-1786 by Count Erik Ruuth but it was not until the 19th Century that Marsvinsholm really received its place in the history books when King Gustav IV Adolf on 31 October 1805 declared war on Napoleon at Marsvinsholm. In 1856-1857 the castle was given its current appearance under Julius Edvard Stiernblad. At the very end of the Second World War, in April 1945, Marsvinsholm was the place of secret discussions between British General Richard Dewing a his Danish and Swedish counterparts.

It was purchased by Bengt Iacobaeus in 1978. Today, the castle remains a private property under the ownership of Bengt’s son Tomas. It is, however, possible to respectfully visit the beautiful park.

Photo: @olsonjohanna

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Fågelvik Manor is an old estate outside Valdemars

Fågelvik Manor is an old estate outside Valdemarsvik in Småland. The name differs somewhat in Medieval sources but we can trace the name Fuglavik to 1347. The first known owner was Ulf Abjörnsson Sparre who inherited it from his mother (name unknown) in 1419. In 1429 it was again inherited by Karl Knutsson Bonde. He then gave it to his daughter following her marriage to Erik Eriksson of Fågelvik, primogenitor of the Swedish family Gyllenstierna who kept the estate until the 1700s. Following the marriage between Count Nils Gyllenstierna’s daughter to Count Arvid Horn in 1711 it came to the family Horn af Kanckas.

When Nils Gyllenstierna was elevated to Count he decided to build a grander house but it was his son-in-law Arvid Horn who completed the drawings and built a Carolean manor. Arvid became one of the most powerful men in Sweden and decided to build an even grander house. He commissioned Carl Hårleman (some sources note Tessin the Younger) to draw a magnificent castle. Following a change of power in 1738 Horn was never able to complete his dream. Instead, today’s house was completed at the end of the 1700s.

Fågelvik was sold to Carl Henrik Posse in 1812. In 1851 it was sold to Crown Prince Karl who only four years later sold it to Anders Koskull. It then passed through Karl Raab and his son, wholesale dealer Gustaf Andersson, Captain Hakon Wijk and finally Helge Lybeck and the Lybeck family from 1910-1981. In 1995 it was acquired by the Mannfalk family who still own the house while the land is owned by the Hopkins family since 2008. In 2015 the estate was for sale but Mannfalk decided to keep it for future generations.

Photo: @fotograf_mikael
@fisheyesverige
@skeppsholmensothebysrealty

#fågelvik #visitsmaland #smaland #sweden⁣ #visitsweden #passionpassport #travelinggram #travelphotography #goexplore #discoverglobe #discoverearth #roamtheplanet #history #castlesofsweden #castle #slott #svenskaslott #vsco #vscosweden #vscocam #instagood #travel #castlehunting #castle #castles#architecture #architecturephotography #schloss #chateau #scandinaviaclub⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣

Known since the 12th Century, Alnarp Castle was or

Known since the 12th Century, Alnarp Castle was originally Danish. It’s first owner, that we know about, was the Danish Knight Anders Pedersen. It became closely connected to the Danish King Christian III via Erik Krummedige, who was an adviser to the King.

Like many of the castles in Skåne, Alnarp came under Swedish possession after the Treaty at Roskilde in 1658. The Swedish King Charles X Gustav gave the castle and the grounds to Johan von Essen - the Commandant of Malmö. In 1660, after the rebellion on Bornholm Alnarp became one of the “vederlagsgods” (traded estates) between Denmark and Sweden. For a short period of time it also belonged to Gabriel Gabrielson Oxenstierna. In 1694, Alnarp became the first residence for the Governors-General in Skåne (Scania). When Johan Cronman became the first Governor-General of Malmöhus County in 1729 he received Alnarp as a summer residence. At the time the house was only a one story building which was knocked down in 1781.

In 1857 the Swedish government decided that a new agricultural institute should be established at Alnarp and Danish star architect Ferdinand Meldahl was commissioned to build a completely new castle between 1859-1862. He built an impressive castle of four floors in the now famous Alnarp Park. The park is mentioned by Carl Linné in connection to his journey to Skåne and it is believed it was the only elm forest in Sweden. Most of it was later chopped down but today the old forest houses an English park containing some 2000 different species of trees, bushes and plants. It is a true gem and well worth a visit.

Today Alnarp is a part of Sweden’s Agricultural University and horticulturalists, landscape architects, landscape engineers and agronomists are educated here.

Photo: @michaelperssonse

#alnarp #visitskane #sweden⁣ #visitsweden #passionpassport #travelinggram #travelphotography #goexplore #discoverglobe #discoverearth #roamtheplanet #history #castlesofsweden #castle #slott #svenskaslott #vsco #vscosweden #vscocam #instagood #travel #castlehunting #architecture #architecturephotography #schloss #chateau

Övedskloster Castle outside Sjöbo in the souther

Övedskloster Castle outside Sjöbo in the southern province of Scania is considered one of the most pristine Rococo buildings in Sweden.

Originally, as is revealed in the Swedish name, it was a monastery. During the Danish Reformation this changed and in 1666 it became the possession of Swedish Councillor of the Realm Carl Mauritz Lewenhaupt. In 1753 it was acquired by Hans Ramel, commonly known as Hans the Builder for his vast amount of land and his eagerness to develop his domains. He was the owner of many estates, not least Övedskloster, Löberöd, Maltesholm and Tullesbo.

In 1766, Hans Ramel made Övedskloster an entailed estate for his heirs. Around the same period he commissioned Carl Hårleman for the drawings of a completely new castle complex which was built between 1765-1776. Since then, the estate has been passed down in the Ramel family for generations. Perhaps it comes as no surprise that its current owner is also Hans Ramel.

Photo: @michaelperssonse

#övedskloster #sjobo #scania #skane #visitskane #sweden⁣ #visitsweden #passionpassport #travelinggram #travelphotography #goexplore #discoverglobe #discoverearth #roamtheplanet #history #castlesofsweden #castle #slott #svenskaslott #vsco #vscosweden #vscocam #travel #castlehunting #castle #castles #architecture #architecturephotography #schloss #chateau

One of our favorite palaces, Sofiero, sits magnifi

One of our favorite palaces, Sofiero, sits magnificently on a hillside overlooking the Straight of Öresund in southern Sweden. It was once the favoured summer residence of the Swedish royal family.

On the present site there was originally a Scanian farm called Skabelycke, purchased in 1864 by Swedish Crown Prince Oscar and his loving wife Sophia of Nassau. The first one-story palace was completed in 1865. It was expanded to its current size between 1874 and 1876, after crown prince Oscar had been crowned king Oscar II of Sweden and Norway.⁣

In 1905, Oscar II's grandchild Prince Gustaf Adolf, future King Gustaf VI Adolf, and his wife, crown princess Margaret received the palace as a wedding gift. They renovated the palace and started the impressive Rhododendron-garden for which the palace is still known today.⁣

Between 1950 and 1973 Sofiero served as the official summer residence of Gustaf Adolf and his wife Louise Mountbatten. King Gustaf Adolf always longed for his beloved Sofiero and his plants and when he died he left the estate to the city of Helsingborg so that the general public could enjoy it as much as he had. He was a loved king by his subjects.

We strongly recommend a visit to this remarkable place and if you do visit, make sure to do so when the rhododendron are in full bloom!

Photo: @michaelperssonse

⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣@sofieroslott #sofiero #sofieroslott #sweden⁣ #visitsweden #passionpassport #travelinggram #travelphotography #goexplore #discoverglobe #discoverearth #roamtheplanet #history #castlesofsweden #castle #slott #svenskaslott #vsco #vscosweden #vscocam #instagood #travel #castlehunting #castle #castles #architecture #architecturephotography #schloss #chateau #scandinaviaclub

Ljung Castle - the von Fersen family’s 18th Cent

Ljung Castle - the von Fersen family’s 18th Century gem on the Östgöta Plain drawn by none other than the great Jean Eric Rehn.

A manor was created at Ljung during the 1640s. Several famous Swedish families like Hamilton, Horn, Wrede and Fleming have lived there. In 1730, it was acquired by the von Fersen family, and by the end of the century Axel von Fersen the Elder commissioned Jean Eric Rehn to build him a worthy castle in Gustavian style.

Ljung Castle remained with the family for over a 100 years until they, at the end of the 1860s, were forced to sell due to bankruptcy. The most well-known owner was by far Axel von Fersen the Younger, famous for his relations with Queen Marie-Antoinette but also as an established ambassador, military and owner of Steninge and Löfstad castles.

In 1949 the estate was acquired by the current owner's grandfather. The castle is open for visitors during the summer.

Photo: @crazycastlelady

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Forsbacka Manor is an old ironworks between the ci

Forsbacka Manor is an old ironworks between the cities Gävle and Sandviken. It is first mentioned in 1591when a tilthammer was in use at the site. In the 1640s Dutchman Henrik Marhein wanted to open up an ironworks but fell in to dispute with Peder Jacobsson Grubb, who later was given the rights to open up an industry by Queen Kristina in 1651.

In 1773, Forsbacka was leased to Johan Magnus Nordin (ennobled af Nordin in 1788) who later also took over Forsbacka. He built the manor house that we see today in 1777. In addition to the house he also built stables, an orangery and an English park. Nordin is also famous for organising the Parliament in Gävle of 1792.

During the 18-1900s Forsbacka was a busy place but during the later half of the 1900s activity slowly started to decrease and it was finally closed in 1989. Since 1992 much of the industrial area is a Museum and the manor house has been redone into condominiums.

Photo: @castlesofsweden

#forsbacka #gävle #sandviken #sweden⁣ #visitsweden #passionpassport #travelinggram #travelphotography #goexplore #discoverglobe #discoverearth #roamtheplanet #history #castlesofsweden #castle #slott #svenskaslott #vsco #vscosweden #vscocam #instagood #travel #castlehunting #castle #castles #architecture #architecturephotography #schloss #chateau

Fredriksborg fortress is a former defence strongho

Fredriksborg fortress is a former defence stronghold built to guard one of the inlets in the Stockholm Archipelago. Its task was clear from the very beginning - protect Stockholm from attacks following the experiences of the Russian Pillages of 1719.

Following the peace of the Great Northern War 1721 an overview was initiated of the nation’s defences. It was then decided that the defence installations at Oxdjupet outside Stockholm were insufficient and needed reinforcement. A decision was taken in 1723 by the Riksdag of the Estates (Parliament) and buildings began in 1724 under the leadership of Gabriel Cronstedt and by the drawings of Axel Löwen.

A four story fortress was erected on a plateau 40 meters above sea level with spectacular views of the surrounding landscape - and of course - waterways! It housed 40 cannons and hundreds of soldiers. By 1735 it was completed and together with the gun battery at sea level it provided excellent protection against any aggressors. However, by the 1820s the fortress had lost its importance. It was partly replaced by Vaxholm Fortress and eventually also Oskar-Fredriksborg Fortress in the 1870s.

Today, it is cared for by the Swedish Property Board and it functions as a popular weekend destination for food, weddings and conferences. It’s elevated position above the narrow waterway gives it a unique feeling. Guided tours of the fortress are offered.

Photo: @castlesofsweden

#fredriksborg #vaxholm #stockholm #sweden⁣ #visitsweden#passionpassport #travelinggram #travelphotography #goexplore #discoverglobe #discoverearth #roamtheplanet #history #castlesofsweden #castle #slott #svenskaslott #vsco #vscosweden #vscocam #instagood #travel #castlehunting #castle #castles#architecture #architecturephotography #schloss #chateau #scandinaviaclub⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣

Bjärsjölagård Castle, in Scania, carries a prou

Bjärsjölagård Castle, in Scania, carries a proud and long history. It is believed that we can trace its roots to 700 AD when Harald Hildetand owned the grounds. This was of course well before today’s castle was built. The sources prove that the famous Danish King Valdemar Atterdag purchased the estate in 1363. It then remained under the Danish Crown for some time until it was stormed by dissatisfied peasants and eventually torn down in 1526. It had since Medieval times been known as a fortified castle named Beritzholm (Beritsholm) due to it being surrounded by a moat.

Beritsholm Castle sorted under Lindholmens County and the County Lord Mourids Jepsen Sparre used material from Beritsholm to build the grand Svaneholm Castle. In connection to this a larger barn was built which became the foundation for its present name.

In 1720, Peter Julius Coyet purchased the estate from the Crown. The present building was built in Rococo style in 1766 and 1777. The southern wing was added in 1812 which explains its Empire style.

In 1958 the entire estate was purchased by Hushållningssällskapet (a joint name for freestanding organisations working for the development of the countryside). Today the castle functions as a successful conference and hotel facility. Due to its romantic appearance it is also a sought after venue for weddings.

Photo: @dariobarunovic

#bjarsjolagardsslott #sjobo #skane #visitskane #sweden⁣ #visitsweden #passionpassport #travelinggram #travelphotography #goexplore #discoverglobe #discoverearth #roamtheplanet #history #castlesofsweden #castle #slott #svenskaslott #vsco #vscosweden #vscocam #instagood #travel #castlehunting #castle #castles #architecture #architecturephotography #schloss #chateau #scandinaviaclub

Örenäs Castle sits on the waterfront overlooking

Örenäs Castle sits on the waterfront overlooking the Strait of Öresund with Denmark visible across the water. A strategic location in its day. The castle was however built long after the Dano-Swedish disagreements ended.

In 1867 Circuit Judge August Anderberg purchased the future castle grounds. He built a house which he called Mariehild after his wife and laid the foundations for a grand garden with tropical trees and shrubs. When August died in 1883 the estate was purchased by Countess Constance Wachtmeister, the widow of Foreign Minister Count Carl Wachtmeister and daughter of a French Marquis, who renamed it Maryhill. When she sold it and moved abroad in the early 1890s it was taken over by Count Fredrik Arvidsson Posse. Posse was indeed an entrepreneurial spirit and well-liked by the locals. The family lost a lion part of its fortune in the iron ore fields of northern Sweden and sold Maryhill to the “sugar king” Carl Tranchell. He had grand plans of building a Swedish version of Versaille but plans changed and he settled with what became the castle that we see today, drawn by Fredrik Sundbärg. It was built between 1914-1918. It is a baroque style castle and cost an astonishing 1 million SEK to build, an astronomical sum at the time.

Tranchell died just a year after completion and it was sold to Count Fredrik Bonde who was approached by Nazis who wanted to buy it. Instead he sold it to the trade unions of Scania and it became a hotel in 1943 under the ownership of trade union organisation Reso. During WWII it became a refugee for Estonian and Danish refugees. Reso sold the estate in 1992 to LO, the Swedish Trade Union Federation who still today operate it as a hotel and conference facility.

Photo: @clausenborg

#orenas #visitskane #LO #oresund #sweden⁣ #visitsweden#passionpassport #travelinggram #travelphotography #goexplore #discoverglobe #discoverearth #roamtheplanet #history #castlesofsweden #castle #slott #svenskaslott #vsco #vscosweden #vscocam #instagood #travel #castlehunting #castle #castles#architecture #architecturephotography #schloss #chateau #scandinaviaclub

Hoby Kulle Manor outside Karlshamn in the southern

Hoby Kulle Manor outside Karlshamn in the southern province of Blekinge was created in what is called “enskiftet”, an agricultural reform that lead to more connected and workable land compared to Sweden’s earlier scattered farmland in village communities. The estate Hoby Kulle was created by Circuit Judge Sven Emanuel Trädgårdh in 1807 and he turned it into the second largest agricultural estate in Blekinge.

The present building was completed in 1846 by Isak Otto Ruben who continued the extensive farming scheme. The dairy operation was especially successful and continued until the 1930s.

In the late 1900s it came under the care of Antique dealer Mats Freidenfeldt. He remained at Hoby Kulle for 22 years, taking advantage of the time to carefully restore and improve the buildings, not least the manor house itself. The result was very pleasing to see and he managed to give it a splendid appearance.

It came on the market for 15 Million SEK which was reduced to 11,7 Million SEK in 2016. It remained on the market for three years until it was sold to the Forsman family in 2019. Today, the estate encompasses 11,5 hectares and the new owners are putting their mark on the house and gardens. They are successfully offering Hoby Kulle for food, housing and conferences. We are also dealighted that they are keeping the antiquities heritage alive by running an antiques shop.

Photo: @hobykulleherrgard
@elinamalm
@davolto

#blekinge #ronneby #karlshamn #hobykulle #sweden⁣ #visitsweden #passionpassport #travelinggram #travelphotography #goexplore #discoverglobe #discoverearth #roamtheplanet #history #castlesofsweden #castle #slott #svenskaslott #vsco #vscosweden #vscocam #instagood #travel #castlehunting #castle #castles #architecture #architecturephotography #schloss #chateau #scandinavia

Inspired by the English Tudor style, Tjolöholm Ca

Inspired by the English Tudor style, Tjolöholm Castle, is one of the youngest castles in Sweden. It was commissioned in 1898 by James Fredrik Dickson who had acquired the estate only six years earlier.

The first owner that we know about was the Danish King Valdemar Sejr in 1231. Hundreds of years after this, in 1659, it became Swedish territory and Field Marshal Carl Mautiz Lewenhaupt bought the estate. It then passed through hands of the families Wrede, Sparre, Hummelhielm, Swalin, Dann and Santesson until the Dicksons became its owners.

Both James and his wife Blanche had English parents which most probably is the reason for its architectural design. Unfortunately, James died shortly after constructions had began so it was up to Blanche to see it through. The new house was completed in 1904. James never even reached the age of 60 and when Blanche died a few years later she was only 50 years old.

The estate was inherited by her daughter Blanche Bonde who was married to Count Carl Bonde and they lived together at Tjolöholm until their divorce in 1920. For a number of years the estate was unoccupied and unheated and fell in to a state of decay. When Blanche died in 1960 her son Carl C:son Bonde became its owner but the entire estate was purchased by the City of Gothenburg in 1964 for 4,5 million SEK. The city refurbished the castle and opened it to the public. Since 1991 the estate is owned by the Foundation Tjolöholm. It is open to the public and is visited by some 200 000 visitors per year.

@just_einy

#tjolöholm #sweden⁣ #visitsweden #passionpassport #travelinggram #travelphotography #goexplore #discoverglobe #discoverearth #roamtheplanet #history #castlesofsweden #castle #slott #svenskaslott #vsco #vscosweden #vscocam #instagood #travel #castlehunting #castle #castles #architecture #architecturephotography #schloss #chateau #scandinaviaclub⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣ #scandinavia

FOR SALE! The Medieval-looking Gärsnäs Castle ou

FOR SALE! The Medieval-looking Gärsnäs Castle outside Simrishamn in Sweden’s southernmost province, Scania, is known since 1358 but the house of today is quite a bit newer. In 1358 the estate was called Gyorthesnaes which derives from the male name Gjord, a common name within the Drefelt family; the sons were commonly known as the Sons of Gjord. The earliest known Lord of Gärsnäs was Gjord Jensen Drefelt and it stayed with the family until circa 1550 when it belonged to Ingeborg Gjordsdatter Drefelt.

During the 1630s, Anders Sinclair sold Gärsnäs to Falk Lykke, a hugely influential estate owner who also owned Bollerup and Kronovall as well as Skovgaard in Denmark. He was married to Kirsten Rantzau but they never had any children.

In 1680 it was confiscated by the Crown due to a debt and stayed a possession of the Crown until 1702 when General War Commissary Jöran Adlersten purchased the estate after a successful period as a servant of the Crown, not least in the Swedification of the southern province which became Swedish following the Scanian War in 1679.

Shortly thereafter the estate was divided in four lots and in 1723 it was reduced to a dual ownership under the families Lindenstedt and Dagström. They agreed to share not only the estate but the castle itself and divided rooms among themselves. Wilhelm Lindenstedt was the Lord Lieutenant of Scania and Oluf Johansson Dagström was a Lieutenant colonel who had served with Karl XII during his endeavours at Narva, Düna, Klissow etc. He became critical towards the Crown and was sentenced to life imprisonment at Malmöhus where he also died in 1760.

The estate eventually passed to the Schönström family through Ulrika Schönström who inherited the estate. She later sold the estate to her son Henrik Rosencrantz. He commissioned Danish architect Ferdinand Meldahl to, during the 1870s, turn the castle into the Medieval Renaissance house that still greets us today.

Read more below....

Ekeberga Manor in Påarp outside Helsingborg saw t

Ekeberga Manor in Påarp outside Helsingborg saw the light of day in the first half of the 19th Century in the last of the Swedish land consolidation processes (enskiftet/laga skifte). The process had actually begun already 100 years earlier in what became known as the Great Partition of 1749 and was the greatest land reform in Swedish history. The initiator was Jacob Faggot and regulation was introduced in 1757 that changed rural life in Sweden forever.

Previously the farmers of a village had an equal share in the land owned by the village collectively, and the land belonging to their farm was split around the area. This made the land belonging to each farm hard to access and work but it also secured a greater social justice, as everyone had both good and bad land to work.

The result of the new reform was that less, but connected, land belonged to each farm. This made it easier to use, but also lessened the standard of living for those being allotted bad land. The reform was slow and new reform laws were introduced by initiative of Rutger Macklean during the early 1800s which signified the partition of the traditional villages into separate farms. It took time to implement and many areas did not change until around 1860.

Ekeberga Manor was originally named “storgård” which translates to “large farm” but in 1865 a Manor house was built by Member of Parliament Paul Paulsson and it became known as a manor rather than a large farm.

In recent years, the manor has been used as an equestrian estate and the land has shrunk to around 8 hectares.

In 2020, it was acquired by the Wickström family who will continue using it for equestrian purposes.

Photo: @skeppsholmensothebysrealty

#visitskane #ekeberga #sweden⁣ #visitsweden #passionpassport #travelinggram #travelphotography #goexplore #discoverglobe #discoverearth #roamtheplanet #history #castlesofsweden #castle #slott #svenskaslott #vsco #vscosweden #vscocam #instagood #travel #castlehunting #architecture #manor #schloss #chateau

Steeped in history, Kalmar Castle can brag with a

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 started 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 residence for the royals and it fell in to an era of decay. An odd thing to happen for the castle that had been besieged 22 times in 394 years but never taken by the enemy.

In the 1850s, King Oscar I decided that it was time to put things back in 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 pass through the walls today they are greeted by the very finest example of a Swedish renaissance castle.

📸 @filipisac

Happy Birthday Crown Princess Victoria! Today we s

Happy Birthday Crown Princess Victoria! Today we share the history of Borgholm on the island of Öland. The Crown Princess' Birthday is usually celebrated at Borgholm and the royal family always spend their summers on the island.

On the western shore of Sweden’s second largest island, Öland, Borgholm castle guarded the entrance to Sweden. 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 partly finished 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 at this time 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: @fotopower_media_motorsport

Fjällnäs Palace - perhaps the northernmost palac

Fjällnäs Palace - perhaps the northernmost palace in the world!

Fjällnäs is actually what we would call a wooden villa situated in Gällivare municipality in the very north of Sweden. It was built in 1888 by Colonel Carl Otto Bergman who used it as his summer estate. It is a Swiss chalet style building that was built to impress the members of Parliament and senior civil servants who visited the mining areas around the famous Malmberget. As head of the mining company Bergman had his office in the palace. In 1894, Fjällnäs was visited by King Oscar II.

Following the Bergman era the estate has had several owners. In 1987 the estate was acquired by property company Riksbyggen who started a restoration scheme and built several condominiums. In 2004 Italian investor family Mordini bought it in order to convert it to a tourist facility for Italian tourists. They invested around 20 million SEK but did not succeed in their endeavour. Following a lengthy process Paasanne AB bought the estate in 2011 for the purpose of developing a conference facility. In 2019 it was sold to a painting company called Gällivare måleri.

Photo: @dicran.sarafian

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Bogesund Castle was commissioned by one of Sweden’s greatest aristocrats of all time – Per Brahe.⁣

In 1630, Per Brahe inherited the estate (a farm at the time) from his father Abraham Brahe, who had only purchased it 6 years earlier. Some ten years later in 1640 Brahe started building his castle which when ready was four stories high. He also laid the foundation for two gardens on the site, one large and one smaller. Apart from some old trees, very little is today visible from these great gardens.⁣

Per Brahe died in one of the upstairs bedrooms at the age of 78. He had truly lived a remarkable life. Bogesund was inherited by his nephew, Nils Brahe, whose father had died following the battle at Lützen in 1632.⁣

Through Nils’ marriage to Margareta Juliana Wrangel, the daughter of Field Marshal Carl Gustaf Wrangel, he also became the owner of Skokloster Castle. Like many of the great families at the time, he already owned a number of estates like Rydboholm (where not only Per Brahe was born, it is also believed that Gustav Eriksson or Gustav Vasa as we know him today was born there), Visingsborg, Lindholmen, Lyckås, Östanå, Västanå and estates in Swedish controlled areas around the Baltic Sea.

It later came into the hands of the Hamilton, von Rosen and von Lantingshausen von Höpken families. Nils Albrekt von Lantingshausen von Höpken commissioned architect Thor Medelplan to extend and rebuild the castle between 1864 and 1867. It was during this time the four towers that today gives the castle its unique look were added.⁣

The von Lantingshausen von Höpken remained the owners until 1946 when the castle had deteriorated to the extent that the state expropriated it. The castle was declared a listed building in 1949 and since 1993 the National Property Board is slowly and carefully restoring it.⁣

⁣⁣⁣⁣Photo: @freedomtravelnews

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Mörby Castle, sitting on a hilltop overlooking La

Mörby Castle, sitting on a hilltop overlooking Lake Skedviken outside Rimbo in Uppland, is known since the 1380s and often described as Uppland’s most prominent 16th Century castle.

There was a manor house on the site already in 1380 owned by the German nobleman Henrik Damerow and from 1412 the Pomeranian family Slaweka lived there and built the first stone house during the 1450s. Through marriage it then passed to the very prominent Oxenstierna family who used Mörby as their seat for 250 years. During the 1500s it was the seat of Gabriel Kristiernsson Oxenstierna who in the 1550s enlarged it to a phenomenal Renaissance palace. It was extended even more in the 1630s and at the middle of the century an orangery was added to the palace garden.

The palace reached its peak during the mid 1600s but was unfortunately abandoned at the end of the century and fell into a state of disrepair. When nobleman Arvid Horn purchased the estate in 1728 he wanted to put it back in order but after a survey made by famous castle architect Carl Hårleman it was clear that it would be a too costly endeavor. So instead he moved the valuable copper roof to nearby Ekebyholm Castle.

It was finally ruined forever by a fire in 1740 and stone was taken from the destroyed castle to build the nearby church. In 1772 it was incorporated with Rånäs Castle. Today, the ruin sits on private land belonging to the Schmiterlöw family who has lived at Mörby Manor since 1926.

Photo: @castlesofsweden

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