Castles in Scania

Pålsjö Castle

Pålsjö Castle was built in the late 1670s and the French style park dates from the 1760s. The first known owner was Sten Torbensen Bille, who died in 1520. The estate was destroyed in the Scanian war (1676–1679) and rebuilt soon after by Magnus Paulin, the Mayor of Helsingborg. During the Helsingborg battle in the Great Northern War (1700-1721) Earl Magnus Stenbock had his headquarters in Pålsjö ...
Founded: 1676-1679 | Location: Helsingborg, Sweden

Trollenäs Castle

Trollenäs Castle is known since the 14th century, and has been in the ownership of only two families, Thott and Trolle. Originally known as Näs Castle, it was renamed after Trolle family in the 18th century. The current building goes back to 1559 and was in the late 19th century renovated by architect Ferdinand Meldahl to resemble a French Renaissance castle. There is also a medieval church, Näs old church, near the c ...
Founded: 1559 | Location: Eslöv, Sweden

Svenstorp Castle

Svenstorp Castle was built in 1596 by Beata Hvitfeldt, a powerful lady-in-waiting to the Danish King Christian IV. Her architect was Hans Steenwinkel. In November 1676, the Danish king, Christian V, stayed at Svenstorp before the Battle of Lund. The night after the battle the Swedish king, Charles XI, whose troops had won the battle, stayed in the same room and the same bed. Since 1723, the castle has been owned by the Gy ...
Founded: 1596 | Location: Lund, Sweden

Kronovall Castle

The two-storey main building of Kronovall Castle was built originally in 1760. The present French Baroque style appearance date from the 1890s when the castle was renovated. Since 1991 Kronovall was owned by family Sparre. Today it is the office of local winery company and open by appointment.
Founded: 1760 | Location: Tomelilla, Sweden

Vittskövle Castle

Vittskövle Castle (also spelt Widtsköfle) is one of the best-preserved Renaissance castles in the Nordic countries. It has had medieval precursors, but the present castle was built by Jens Brahe in 1553. It is the largest castle in Skåne with approx. 100 rooms. Location and shape were decided out of consideration for defence and the tiled four-winged castle was built on piles in the marsh and supplied with ...
Founded: 1553 | Location: Vittskövle, Sweden

Trolleholm Castle

Trolleholm Castle (Trolleholms slott) was originally named Kattesnabbe and later Ericholm. It has been known since 1424, and was a monastic estate in the late Middle Ages. Trolleholm belonged to members of the Thott family (1533-1680) and Trolle family (1680-1806). Frederik Trolle (1693-1770) gave it its present name in 1755. The castle was reconstructed in the 1760s according the design of Carl Hårleman. The presen ...
Founded: 1760s | Location: Svalöv, Sweden

Trolle-Ljungby Castle

Trolle-Ljungby Castle, enclosed by a moat, is one of most magnificent Renaissance buildings in Sweden. In the Middle Ages it was a fortified manor house, owned by Bille family. The current castle was erected in 1629 to the grounds of the previous castle, which had been burnt down in 1525. The west wing was added in 1633 and the east wing in 1787. The stone bridge in the northern side dates from 1806. The current owner of ...
Founded: 1629 | Location: Fjälkinge, Sweden

Löberöd Castle

The early history of Löberöd estate is unknown, but the oldest parts were built in the 1620s. Then the owner was Anna Brahe. Her nephew, a member of the Ramel family, inherited Löberöd when Anne, a childless widow, passed away in 1635. The manor was in the possession of the Ramel family until 1799. The northern wing and the eight-sided turret were built in 1798-1799. About twenty years later an oranger ...
Founded: 1798-1799 | Location: Löberöd, Sweden

Snogeholm Castle

Snogeholm farm dates from the 16th century and it was owned by Thott, Brahe, Marsvin and Bille families. In the 1690s Christian Bille built the new main building between two detached wings. The current castle was built by Erik Claes Piper in 1870. The French Rococo style building has two storeys and three towers. The German Emperor Wilhelm II visited in Snogeholm in 1899 and 1902. Today Snogeholm castle hosts a hotel and ...
Founded: 1870 | Location: Sjöbo, Sweden

Tomarps Kungsgård Castle

Tomarps Kungsgård Castle was probably erected as a Renaissance building in the mid-16th century. It was composed of four, two story high wings with brick roof surrounded by a narrow square yard. The middle part of the northwing consists of the remains of a building from the Middle Ages. I the south-east corner of the yard there were a tower until the late 18th century. The castle belonged to the Brosterups linage in ...
Founded: mid-1500s | Location: Kvidinge, Sweden

Tosterup Castle

The tower of Tosterup Castle was built in the 1400s and the main building date from the 1500s. The present appearance is date mainly from the restoration made in 1760s, when the tower was merged to the main building. The castle has been owned by several famous noble families like Brahe, Thott and Krabbe. Today Tosterup is owned by family Ehrensvärd and in private use.
Founded: 15th century | Location: Tomelilla, Sweden

Hjularöd Castle

Hjularöd Castle was first mentioned in 1391, but the current castle was built in 1894-1897. It was built on command of the former owner, chamberlain Hans Gustaf Toll. French medieval castles, the château de Pierrefonds in particular, were inspiration for the castle when architects Isak Gustaf Clason and Lars Israel Wahlman designed it. Outside scenes from the television series Mysteriet på Greveholm (The ...
Founded: 1894-1897 | Location: Eslöv, Sweden

Borgeby Castle

Borgeby Castle is built on the site of an 11th-century castle or fortress. Excavations on the site may relate it to Harald Bluetooth. It may be reconstructed similar to the Trelleborg type with a diameter of 150 meters. Construction must have been in several phases with two separate ditches. The buildings on the site burned down during the Viking time. Excavations in 1998 found evidence of a mint. This is thought to proof ...
Founded: 1100s | Location: Lomma, Sweden

Maltesholm Castle

Maltesholm Castle The castle has been passed down for generations and is now the private residence of the Baron Palmstierna. The castle was originally constructed between 1635 and 1638 by the high constable of Kristianstad, Malte Juel, during the Danish rule of Scania, but the history of the estate goes back to the Middle ages and it was owned by the Brahe family. Typical for its time, the castle was a Renaissance manor b ...
Founded: 1780 | Location: Kristianstad, Sweden

Krageholm Castle

The history of Krageholm estate date from the 14th century when it was owned by family Due. Later in Middle Ages it was moved to Tott and Brahe families. In 1642 it was given to Otto Marsvin. The estate was damaged in the war with Denmark during the reign of Carl XI. In 1704 the estate was sold to Carl Piper. The present appearance was built in 1720s. The main building and two annexes are surrounded by moat and park. St. ...
Founded: 16th century | Location: Ystad, Sweden

Vrams Gunnarstorp Castle

The construction of Vrams Gunnarstorp Castle was started in 1633 by Jørgen Vind. It represents Dutch Renaissance, so-called style of King Christian IV of Denmark. 1838 the castle came to the Tornérhjelm family. It was exchanged by the Berch family for Össjö Castle and 17 barrels of gold. It is open to he public by appointment.
Founded: 1633 | Location: Bjuv, Sweden

Örtofta Castle

Örtofta manor was first mentioned in 1346 and it has been owned by several noble families. The original brick castle was built in the late 1400s and parts of it still remains. In 1857-1861 Henry Dücker enlarged and reconstructed Örtofta to the present appearance. Today the castle hosts a hotel and provides conference and wedding services.
Founded: 15th century | Location: Eslöv, Sweden

Vannaröd Castle

Vannaröd castle was completed in 1890. It was built by Christian Barnekow, who was married with Scottish Agnes Sofia Montgomery. The architecture of Vannaröd is inspired by the castle in Scotland, where Montgomery was born. Today it is a restaurant.
Founded: 1890 | Location: Sösdala, Sweden

Ellinge Castle

Ellinge Castle is one of Scania's oldest country seats, dating from the 13th century. The origins of the current castle building dates from the 15th century. It is still surrounded by Medieval moats. In the 18th century the Danish fortress was transformed into an open mansion of traditional Swedish style. The tower like structure was added in the middle of the 19th century. Today there are only remnants of the former for ...
Founded: 15th century | Location: Eslöv, Sweden

Lindholmen Castle Ruins

Lindholmen Castle is a former Danish fortified castle on the banks of lake Börringe. It became an important fortification in the defence of Scania during the Middle Ages because of its strong encircling defensive walls and double moats. At the time, a small river and treacherous marshes made the terrain surrounding the castle hard to navigate. Originally a private castle, it was in 1339 turned over to Magnus Eriksson ...
Founded: 14th century | Location: Svedala, Sweden

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

Historic Site of the week

Monte d'Accoddi

Monte d"Accoddi is a Neolithic archaeological site in northern Sardinia, located in the territory of Sassari. The site consists of a massive raised stone platform thought to have been an altar. It was constructed by the Ozieri culture or earlier, with the oldest parts dated to around 4,000–3,650 BC.

The site was discovered in 1954 in a field owned by the Segni family. No chambers or entrances to the mound have been found, leading to the presumption it was an altar, a temple or a step pyramid. It may have also served an observational function, as its square plan is coordinated with the cardinal points of the compass.

The initial Ozieri structure was abandoned or destroyed around 3000 BC, with traces of fire found in the archeological evidence. Around 2800 BC the remains of the original structure were completely covered with a layered mixture of earth and stone, and large blocks of limestone were then applied to establish a second platform, truncated by a step pyramid (36 m × 29 m, about 10 m in height), accessible by means of a second ramp, 42 m long, built over the older one. This second temple resembles contemporary Mesopotamian ziggurats, and is attributed to the Abealzu-Filigosa culture.

Archeological excavations from the chalcolithic Abealzu-Filigosa layers indicate the Monte d"Accoddi was used for animal sacrifice, with the remains of sheep, cattle, and swine recovered in near equal proportions. It is among the earliest known sacrificial sites in Western Europe.

The site appears to have been abandoned again around 1800 BC, at the onset of the Nuragic age.

The monument was partially reconstructed during the 1980s. It is open to the public and accessible by the old route of SS131 highway, near the hamlet of Ottava. It is 14,9 km from Sassari and 45 km from Alghero. There is no public transportation to the site. The opening times vary throughout the year.