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Your Guide to Castles of Sweden

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

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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.

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Documentary series “The History of Sweden” puts spotlight on Sandby Borg, Öland

Documentary series “The History of Sweden” puts spotlight on Sandby Borg, Öland

The History of Sweden is a "drama-documentary series " about Sweden's history that premiered on November 5, 2023. The documentary series features [...]

Prince Daniel celebrates 50th birthday at the Royal Palace in Stockholm

Prince Daniel celebrates 50th birthday at the Royal Palace in Stockholm

More than 200 distinguished guests graced the opulent halls of the Royal Palace of Stockholm on the 11th of November to partake [...]

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Discover the beauty and history of Sweden’s castles, palaces and manors.
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Børsen/The Bourse has been the Danish Stock Excha

Børsen/The Bourse has been the Danish Stock Exchange and later the Danish Chamber of Commerce for close to 400 years. Buildings began in 1619 and was completed by 1640. It was haunted by fire earlier this week and large parts of the 17th Century palace-like building has been destroyed. And with the building numerous art treasures. The Danes have not been blessed with good luck when it comes to fires. Neighbouring Christiansborg Palace has also been haunted by fire and large parts of the original Danish art treasures have been lost in the flames. Heroic Danes fought the flames this week to save some of the most important art work at Børsen. It is still not known exactly how much have been lost to the fire but we sincerely hope as much as possible can be saved. The famous spire collapsed in the fire on 16th April and earlier today one of the walls collapsed.

The Danes have lost a national treasures and we hope it can be restored. We are therefore happy to be able to show you the drawings stored at the Danish National Archieves @rigsarkivet

From all of us in Sweden to our Danish friends - we feel your loss and we support you in the years to come as this proud building with its spire once again becomes the landmark it is in your capital Copenhagen.

Good morning from @borgholms_slott! What castle wo

Good morning from @borgholms_slott! What castle would you like to learn about next? 🏰

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 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!

🏰 @ck_the_explorer

Göksholm – the oldest privately owned building

Göksholm – the oldest privately owned building in Sweden that has been continuously inhabited!

Göksholm’s oldest parts can be dated to the 13th century. It Historically it is famous for the popular uprising’s leader Engelbrekt Engelbrektsson having been murdered on its lands in 1436 by Måns Bengtsson, the son and heir of the then owner of the castle.

The first attested owner of Göksholm’s castle was Lady Ingeborg Ulfsdotter, mentioned alreadyin 1296, of the family of Ulv, a cadet branch of the earl dynasty that later became known as the Folkunge royal line or House of Bjälbo. Göksholm was then passed down through four female generations. Great-great-granddaughter Lady Christina Magnusdotter brought it to her husband, Lord Bengt Stensson of the Ringhult lordship, the family later dubbed Natt och Dag. The couple’s son was the above mentioned killer, Måns Bengtsson. Since then, the castle has been owned by many prominent Swedish faimlies, such as Fleming and Sparre.

Göksholm is today owned by the Leijonhufvud family.

The second image shows Göksholm castle as depicted by Erik Dahlbergh in Suecia Antiqua et Hodierna from the 17th century.

Where should we go next? 🏰 Vadstena Castle is

Where should we go next? 🏰

Vadstena Castle is first mentioned even before it was built when Gustav Vasa was elected Regent of Sweden in August 1521. In 1544, at the “inheritance Parliament” in Västerås (when it was decided that the King of Sweden no longer should be elected), a decision was taken that a fortress should be built in Vadstena. The following year Gustav Vasa started the building process together with the Pomeranian fortress builder Jochim Bulgrin. The purpose was to erect a strong keep, originally called Vättersborg, to protect the Kingdom against Danish enemies. By 1550 the castle and a surrounding moat was sufficient for the King to move in. Two years later, Gustav Vasa celebrated his wedding to Katarina Stenbock at Vadstena. Gustav’s third son, Magnus, was given it as a fief in 1557 and the transformation from a keep to a palace began. His older brother, Johan III, later extended it even more and gave the castle its Renaissance style.

During the reign of Karl X Gustav the palace was extended with its mid-tower after drawings by Jean de la Valée but shortly thereafter Vadstena lost its importance when the kings stop living there. The last royal who lived there was Karl X Gustav’s widow Hedvig Eleonora, but she actually lived in a house next to the castle. When she died in 1715 the castle became a granary, liquor warehouse and military storage facility.

During the 1900s the castle has truly experienced a revival. The old embankments were rebuilt in 1984 and in more recent time, beginning in 1997, the two towers have been re-erected and the walls have been restored. Today, it is a true joy to visit the impressive castle.

Video: @southswedenbydrone

#visitsweden #castlesofinstagram #castlesoftheworld #castlesofeurope #renaissance #chateau #schloss #slott #sverige #visitöstergötland #hejöstergötland #gustavvasa #vasa #vadstena #vadstenaslott

Knistad – a manor for bon vivants! The current

Knistad – a manor for bon vivants!

The current manor building at Knistad is from the 18th century, but the estate is much older. In 1641, the estate was purchased by H. Uggla from the Swedish Crown. 100 years later the estate was inherited by the family Lind af Hageby and later sold to the Gyllenberg family, who bequeathed it to the House of Nobility, @riddarhuset, in 1877. In 1881 it was sold to K. Åkerberg.

Today, @knistad_herrgard houses a hotel, wedding and conference venue and restaurant. Next to the manor building is also @knistadgolf. Additionally, Knistad offers opportunities for Swedish hunting exam.

Knistad is owned by, among others, Swedish television presenter and bon vivant Steffo Törnquist.

📸 @steffo56

Läckö Castle is a magnificent medieval castle in

Läckö Castle is a magnificent medieval castle in Sweden, strategically placed on an island in Lake Vänern, Västergötland.

Brynolf Algotsson, Bishop of Skara, laid the foundations for a fortified castle in 1298 - originally as a fort that consisted of two or three houses surrounded by a wall. After a fire during the 1470s, the fort was expanded by bishop Brynolf Gerlachsson.

After the reformation in 1527, King Gustav Vasa took possession of Läckö. Field Marshal Jacob Pontusson De la Gardie was granted the property in 1615. de la Gardie embarked on an extensive building spree, including the third floor of the keep. The portal to the main courtyard was added during his period, as were the frescos depicting people and winding plants found in niches, stairwells and the rooms on the third floor. In 1654, Count Magnus Gabriel De la Gardie initiated major construction projects at Läckö. A fourth floor was built in the main building and a number of artists were hired to decorate the walls and ceilings of the castle.
Läckö is a national monument and has been managed by the National Property Board since 1993. The National Property Board, the Foundation of Läckö Castle and the National Museum of Fine Arts work together to maintain and furnish the castle in a Baroque period style.

Läckö Castle Opera puts on an annual opera production in the castle’s inner courtyard, with performances for about three weeks beginning in the middle of July. And when you visit, make sure you don’t miss out the garden which has become a major attraction!

📸 @lackoslott

#läckö #läcköslott #schweden #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

Skokloster Castle is one of Sweden’s greatest ca

Skokloster Castle is one of Sweden’s greatest castles. In all its splendour it’s a Baroque castle built between 1654 and 1676 by the extremely wealthy military commander Count Carl Gustaf Wrangel. It sits on the shores of Lake Mälaren between Stockholm and Uppsala and houses a magnificent collection of weapons, paintings and furniture. Its main architect was Caspar Vogel, but Jean de la Vallée and Nicodemus Tessin the Elder were also involved.

The castle is a monument of the Swedish Age of Greatness, a period of the mid-17th century when Sweden became one of the major powers in Europe. The death of Wrangel in 1676 led to the castle’s incompletion. It was inherited by the House of Brahe but they already had their own estates and never completed the grand building plans. Luckily, the original drawings can still be viewed at Skokloster. The banqueting hall remains largely in the same condition as it was left by builders in the summer of 1676. Skokloster Castle is the only building in Europe with a complete 17th-century building site.

In 1967, the von Essen family, who inherited the castle when the Brahe family died out in 1930, sold the castle and its contents to the Swedish government. Skokloster Castle became a state museum, @skoklostersslott.

📸 @ck_the_explorer

Hogwarts? Nope, it’s magical Teleborg Castle in

Hogwarts? Nope, it’s magical Teleborg Castle in Växjö!

📸 @southswedenbydrone

FOR SALE! Tag a friend who deserves to live like a

FOR SALE! Tag a friend who deserves to live like a king!

Lagmansholm’s Manor outside Gothenburg is currently for sale via @fastighetsbyran.

FINLAND SPECIAL PT. 7 We are wrapping up our Finla

FINLAND SPECIAL PT. 7 We are wrapping up our Finland week with this fantastic capture of the Helsinki Cathedral and the Presidential Palace in the lower right corner.

The Presidential Palace is one of the three official residences of the president of the Republic of Finland. At the beginning of the 19th century, a salt storehouse stood on the site. Johan Henrik Heidenstrauch, then one of the elite of Helsinki’s merchants, purchased the entire lot and erected between 1816 and 1820 a stately residence designed by architect Pehr Granstedt. The Heidenstrauch House resembled a palace more than a merchant’s house. In 1837 it actually became a palace when it was purchased for the price of 170 000 rubles to be converted into a residence for the Governor-General of Finland. However, Nicholas I desired that it should become the official residence in Helsinki of the Emperor of Russia, the Grand Duke of Finland, and so the building became the Imperial Palace in Helsinki. The necessary rebuilding and furnishing work, carried out between 1843 and 1845, was directed by architect Carl Ludvig Engel, the creator of neoclassical Helsinki and, after his death, by his son, Carl Alexander.

It was visited for the first time by a member of the Imperial family nine years later, in February 1854, when Emperor Nicholas I’s younger son, Grand Duke Constantine, stayed there for a month. The palace was last visited by a member of the Imperial family when Nicholas II visited the palace for one day in 1915.

Finland became independent in 1917. From June 1918 onwards, renovations and repairs were made to the palace in anticipation of its role as a royal residence for Prince Frederick of Hesse, who was elected as King of Finland in October 1918. However, the international political situation in the aftermath of World War I led to him renouncing his acceptance of the Finnish throne in December 1918.

After the new Constitution was passed in 1919 it was clear that the most suitable residence for the President was the Former Imperial Palace. Since then, it has served as the official residence of the President.

📸 riittask

FINLAND SPECIAL PT. 6 The history of the Stor-Sarv

FINLAND SPECIAL PT. 6 The history of the Stor-Sarvlax estate dates back to the 1450s. The estate has been handed down from generation to generation within three families: Creutz, von Morian and von Born.

The estate is now owned by Svenska Litteratursällskapet (The Swedish Literature Society), which received the estate in a will from the childless Ernst and Alix von Born. Since then, a descendant of Ernst’s father, Viktor Magnus von Born, who served as a Finnish statesman during the Russian era, has always lived there. Today the estate consists of about 1,300 hectares of forest and more than 300 hectares of crops.

The current house and the western wing were built in the 17th century. Apart from Villnäs, the baroque castle is the only one in Finland that dates back to the 17 century, when Finland was part of the Swedish Empire. The building has three floors and an attic. The master builder was Agatus Groneberg, who came from Reval (now Tallinn). The mansion is surrounded by a beautiful park.

📸 @storsarvlaks

FINLAND SPECIAL PT. 6 Tjusterby is an estate known

FINLAND SPECIAL PT. 6 Tjusterby is an estate known since the 15th century. It is sited in Pernå, Nyland – an area well-known for its many estates and great houses.

The previous stone castle at Tjusterby, which when it was built in the 16th century was the only one of its kind in Nyland, was destroyed and rebuilt repeatedly as a result of wars with Russia. First it was razed in 1571, and then during the Great Wrath. The Great Wrath was a period of Finnish history dominated by the Russian invasion and subsequent Russian military occupation of Finland, then part of the Swedish Empire, from 1714 until the treaty of Nystad in 1721. The foundation and basement of this stone castle are still preserved as architectural monuments near the current main building.

The estate has been owned by, among others, the Diekn, Fleming, Wildeman and von Willebrand families, and since 1872 it has belonged to the Antell family. Tjusterby’s current main building was built in brick in 1863–1867 according to drawings by the Swedish architect Carl Johan von Heideken. The asymmetrically towered two-storey building is in English Neo-Gothic and has examples not least among southern Swedish manor houses from the same period. Following the fashion of the time, the garden is also laid out in English park style, equipped with a Greek style temple.

The estate had its own brickworks from the 18th century until 1910, which explains the unusual choice of materials for Finnish conditions. On the property there is an older main building built in timber completed in 1765.

📸 @bopo_maria

FINLAND SPECIAL PT. 5 Svartå is located west of H

FINLAND SPECIAL PT. 5 Svartå is located west of Helsinki is one of Finland’s most famous manors with a fascinating history spanning more than 200 years.

The manoe was built in the years 1783-1792 by Magnus Linder. It is the largest non-ecclesiastical wooden building in Finland. In terms of style, it represents the transition from Rococo to Neoclassicism, while the interior is entirely in the Gustavian style.

Svartå experienced its most prosperous periods under Hjalmar Linder, who owned the nearby mill works at the beginning of the 20th century. Hjalmar Linder owned a total of over 64,000 hectares of land – and one of Finland’s first cars, which he imported in 1902. Swedish painter Louis Sparre and Finland’s national composer, Jean Sibelius, among others, visited Svartå during this time.

📸 @mustionlinna_svartaslott

FINLAND SPECIAL PT. 4 Olofsborg (Finnish: Olavinli

FINLAND SPECIAL PT. 4 Olofsborg (Finnish: Olavinlinna) is a 15th-century castle located in Nyslott (Savonlinna), Finland. It is the northernmost medieval stone fortress still standing.

The fortress was founded by Erik Axelsson Tott, who served as the regent of Sweden under the Kalmar Union, in 1475 under the name Sankt Olofsborg in an effort to profit from the political turmoil following Ivan III’s conquest of the Novgorod Republic. It was sited in Savonia so as to lay claim to the Russian side of the border established by the Treaty of Nöteborg. Olofsborg was the first Swedish castle provided with a set of thickset circular towers that could withstand cannon fire. It is not by accident that a network of lakes and waterways forms the setting for the castle, for these would seriously impede a prospective Russian offensive.

Olofsborg withstood several sieges by the Russians during the First and Second Russian-Swedish wars. A brisk trade developed under the umbrella of the castle towards the end of the 16th century, giving birth to the town of Nyslott, which was chartered in 1639. While the castle was never captured by force, its garrison agreed to terms of surrender twice; first to invading Russians on 28 July 1714 and the second time on 8 August 1743, with the latter conflict’s peace treaty in form of the Treaty of Åbo leading to the castle and the entire region being seceded to Empress Elizabeth of Russia. Several devastating fires destroyed much of the castle’s decor in the 19th century, all of its original furnishings were destroyed.

The castle hosts several small exhibitions, including the Castle Museum which displays artifacts found in the castle or related to it, and the Orthodox Museum which displays icons and other religious artifacts both from Finland and Russia. The castle also forms a spectacular stage for the annual Savonlinna Opera Festival, which was held for the first time in the summer of 1912.

FINLAND SPECIAL PT. 3 @malmgard_estate, one hour d

FINLAND SPECIAL PT. 3 @malmgard_estate, one hour drive east from Helsinki, dates back to the early 17th century and has been in the same family for 13 generations.

The estate was created in 1606 and ownership passed over to Ernst Creutz in 1614. Count Carl Magnus Creutz built the current manor house in 1885. The castle-like manor building, drawn by architect Frans Anatolius Sjöström, has 52 rooms and 365 windows. The exterior has elements of northern French renaissance and the main building material is uncovered red brick.

In 1995 Malmgård became one of the first certified organic farms in Finland. Today, the estate specializes in organic farming, local foods, tourism and beer brewing.

The manor house of Malmgård is a private home and welcomes pre-booked visitors from May through October. The estate shop and brewery pub are open around the year. Beer tastings can also be organized by request.

📸 @malmgard_estate

#visitfinland #finland #finlandnature #finland_photolovers #discoverfinland #ourfinland #castle #castles #manor #manorhouse #auroraborealis #aurora #norrsken

FINLAND SPECIAL PT. 2 Villnäs – the birthplace

FINLAND SPECIAL PT. 2 Villnäs – the birthplace and childhood home of Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim, Finnish military leader, statesman and sixth president of Finland (1944–1946).

The Mannerheim family acquired the manor in 1795. Known residents were Carl Gustaf Mannerheim, a Finnish entomologist and governor of the Viipuri province, and his grandson Marshal Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim, who was born here in 1867. Baroness Wilhelmina Mannerheim moved to Sweden and sold the house to Oskar Hannus in 1903. A charity committee in honour of Marshal Mannerheim purchased the mansion and donated it to the Finnish State in 1965, which opened it as a museum for visitors in 1967.

📸 @louhisaari

#visitfinland #finland #turku #åbo #louhisaari #louhisaarenkartano

FINLAND SPECIAL PT. 1 Celebrating the inauguration

FINLAND SPECIAL PT. 1 Celebrating the inauguration of the President of the Republic of Finland on March 1, we will feature castles and manors in Finland this coming week.

Finland was an integral part of Sweden for almost 700 years from the 12th century until the Finnish War of 1809 after which Finland became an autonomous part of the Russian Empire as the Grand Duchy of Finland. That is much longer than Skåne, Blekinge and Halland have been part of Sweden.

Finland is home to many great castles and manors. Most of Finland’s castles and manors were built during Swedish rule.

Together with the cathedral in Åbo, the castle of Åbo is one of the oldest buildings still in use and the largest surviving medieval building in Finland. It was founded in the late 13th century and stands on the banks of the Aura river.

The castle served as a bastion and administrative centre in Finland during its time as a province of Sweden. Only once did the castle figure in the defence of the realm, when Russian invaders from Novgorod destroyed the city in 1318. It more frequently played a role in internal struggles for power within Sweden and the Kalmar Union. The castle’s heyday was in the mid-16th century during the reign of Duke John of Finland and Catherine Jagellon. That was when the Renaissance Floor and King’s and Queen’s hall were built, along with other features. It lost its status as an administrative centre in the 17th century after Per Brahe’s period as governor-general of Finland came to an end.

The castle is today Finland’s most visited museum.

📸 Turku museokesku @turkucastle @turkukaupunki

FOR SALE! Listed by @residencechristies: ”Amidst

FOR SALE! Listed by @residencechristies: ”Amidst rolling fields lies the venerable Ebbetorp - a masterful manor that has proudly displayed its beautiful main building in neoclassical style since the late 18th century. The building is surrounded by a stunning English park, where lush vegetation harmoniously blends with the surrounding nature.

Both internally and externally, the architectural features are striking, with woodwork, doors, floors, and fittings largely in their original condition. Elaborately decorated tile stoves adorn many rooms, and rooms that have been renovated in recent times have been done so with an outstanding attention to detail in authentic 18th-century style.

The Corps de Logis, with its 16 rooms divided over two floors, has a layout that has remained almost unchanged since the building’s construction. Additionally, there is a large renovated attic and an impressive wine cellar with vaulted rooms.

In the early 2000s, a high-quality stable was added to the estate, designed by castle architect Jan Berg. This octagonal masterpiece with a glass roof and three horse stalls is complemented by a beautiful orangery. Finally, there is a wing building with two apartments, one on each floor.

A warm welcome to Ebbetorp, a timeless gem with a magnificent history!”

#countrylife #countryhouse #manor #castlesofsweden #visitkalmar #kalmar #småland #visitsmåland #forsale #realestate

Happy birthday, Princess Estelle! 🎂🇸🇪 Est

Happy birthday, Princess Estelle! 🎂🇸🇪 Estelle Silvia Ewa Mary, Princess of Sweden, Duchess of Östergötland, was born on 23 February 2012 as first child of TRH The Crown Princess and Prince Daniel. In accordance with the Act of Succession, Princess Estelle is second in line to the throne after The Crown Princess.

📸 Linda Boström, Swedish Royal Court

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