Ferdinand Boberg’s jugend masterpiece, Bjertorp Castle, is a delightful gem hidden away in the lush countryside of Västergötland. Apart from being a great place to visit for its hotel, golf course and premier restaurant, we, of course, think that the story of the castle itself is the most important thing!

Bjertorp is not only one of the few Swedish castles in jugend/art nouveau style, it is also one of Sweden’s youngest castles completed in 1914. Architect Ferdinand Boberg had just completed several grand villas in Stockholm for the royal family which inspired Knut Henrik Littorin. He had become extremely wealthy as the Director for the Nobel brothers’ oil and gas company in Russia. To show off his wealth he, in 1910, decided to build a castle on his parents’ land outside Falköping which his father had acquired in 1856.

Boberg, a superstar at time, was initially hesitant to take on the job. Why should he, the builder of grand royal villas, build a castle far from fame and glory in Stockholm? But, when Littorin with his immense wealth told Boberg that money was not an issue he could no longer refuse the job. Bjertorp took three years to complete and when completed it was fitted with the most recent modernities of the time. According to Boberg’s wife it was even a grander house than the princes’ villas in the capital!

The estate stayed in the family until 1956 when the County Council bought it. In 1980 it became a hotel and today it is owned by the Winn Hotel Group who also owns Såstaholm just north of Stockholm.

Photo: Tanzania, Wikimedia