Borgholm Castle

Borgholm, Öland, Sweden

Borgholm Castle is today only a ruin of the fortress that was first built in the second half of the 12th century and many times rebuilt in later centuries. The construction of the original fortress was probably ordered by king Canute I (1167-1195), who ordered fortresses to be built on the Swedish east coast as defence against enemies from the other side of the Baltic Sea. During the 13th to 15th centuries, additions and changes were made. New towers were built, a new and thicker wall was raised for example. The fortress was damaged on a number of times during these centuries, including in 1361, when king Valdemar IV (Atterdag) of Denmark attacked Borgholm.

During the Kalmar Union, many castles and fortresses in Sweden were damaged as a result of the ongoing conflicts between Danes and Swedes. John III (r. 1568-1592) ordered the reconstruction of Borgholm into a renaissance castle. During his reign, the Pahr brothers (four engineers and architects from Milan) led a significant rebuilding that took place from 1572. The castle acquired a Gothic character and became exemplary of the Italianate bastion style.

Some decades later, Sweden and Denmark fought each other in the Kalmar War. Borgholm Castle first, in 1611, surrendered to the Danish side, but was reconquered by the Swedish side later the same year. The following year, after a siege two weeks long, the commander of the Swedish defence, Peter Michelsen Hammarskiöld had to surrender. In accordance to the treaty that followed the war, the Treaty of Knäred, Borgholm was handed back to the Swedish.

The castle was in a bad shape after the war and it took until 1654 before a restoration and reconstruction would begin. This time, the castle was to be turned into a baroque palace. Charles X Gustav was the king that ordered this, and Nicodemus Tessin the Elder was the architect that was used to fulfil the king's wishes. When Charles Gustaf died in 1660, the construction stopped, only to be restarted at a slow pace during the following kings Charles XI and Charles XII. In 1709, the construction was ended totally and finally.

For a hundred years, the palace was left to fall into decay. On 14 October 1806, the castle was turned into a ruin through a fire that started in the roof of the north wing. The castle of today is the ruins of the 17th century baroque palace Charles X Gustav had constructed. It is owned and superintended by the National Property Board of Sweden. It is open for visitors and holds a museum.

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Details

Founded: 1654, originally in 1100s
Category: Castles and fortifications in Sweden
Historical period: Swedish Empire (Sweden)

Rating

4.4/5 (based on Google user reviews)

User Reviews

Kevin Mallon (6 months ago)
It was a truly astonishing castle to see. gorgeous castle on a beautiful day. I could have spent the whole day here because there is so much to see and to take in.
Mk B (7 months ago)
A really cool castle with a lot to see. It was interesting to even just walk around the grounds and admire the architecture. There is a nice little area for kids to play games and learn about various things. The exhibitions were also quite nice, and I'd like to come again to get a better look at them.
Thomas Wahlgren (9 months ago)
The castle is a given attraction in Borgholm, there is a very pleasant walk from the Strand hotel and marina through the forest park. The cafe by the castle has nice coffee and sandwiches as well as pizza.
S (9 months ago)
A historical castle with beautiful view. A great place for weddings. There are two exhibitions, one for the castle and one for the rock concerts held here. Make sure you check both out.
Rasmus Nordgaard (11 months ago)
My visit to Borgholm castle was truly unique in the purest sense ever. I was all alone and as such had the joy of exploring every corner and crevasse of this vast castle all in my own sweet time. And if ever there was a castle to explore! Impressive restoration and preservation made it possible to go everywhere you'd wish. See if you can find the naturally made markings on the wall: slaughtered pig hanging, hen with one foot and the infamous dog eating a sausage. They had made some fun gimmicks to take selfies on which I couldn't resist. In every sense of the word an unique experience
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