Vadstena Castle

Vadstena, Sweden

Vadstena Castle was originally built by King Gustav I in 1545 as a fortress to protect Stockholm from enemies from the south. The fortress consisted of three smaller stone buildings facing the lake, Vättern, three 31 meter wide ramparts, a courtyard, a moat and four circular cannons turrets. The original ramparts were torn down in the 19th century and the present ramparts were inaugurated in 1999. The stone buildings later formed the ground floor of the castle.

On August 22, 1552, King Gustav I married his third wife, Catherine Stenbock, in Vadstena. One of the castle banqueting halls is called The Wedding Hall, although its construction wasn't finished in time for the wedding. The reconstruction from fortress into a castle began in the 1550s, when prince Magnus became Duke of Östergötland. Duke Magnus had a mental illness and was the only son of Gustav I who didn't become king of Sweden. Magnus died in 1595 and is buried in the nearby Abbey Church.

In 1620 the castle construction was completed and all the kings of the House of Vasa up till then had led the construction. Since 1620, the castle has been very well preserved, and is one of Sweden's best examples of Renaissance architecture. Vadstena Castle was a royal palace until 1716, when the royal family lost interest in it; after which it became a storage for grain.

Since 1899, the castle has housed the Provincial Archives and today visitors can also find a Castle Museum with 16th and 17th century furniture, portraits and paintings. During summers the courtyard plays host to many concerts; both classical and pop music.

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Address

Slottsvägen 1, Vadstena, Sweden
See all sites in Vadstena

Details

Founded: 1545
Category: Castles and fortifications in Sweden
Historical period: Early Vasa Era (Sweden)

More Information

www.nationalmuseum.se
en.wikipedia.org
ostergotland.se

Rating

4.3/5 (based on Google user reviews)

Interesting Sites Nearby


Vadstena Abbey (0,7 km)
Vadstena Museum (0,3 km)
Vadstena Town Hall (0,3 km)
Bishop’s House (0,6 km)
Red Tower (0,6 km)
Hospital Museum (0,9 km)
Herrestad Church (7,5 km)


Askersund Country Church (48 km)
Brahehus Castle Ruins (49 km)
Alvastra Monastery Ruins (21,2 km)
Rök Runestone (17,9 km)
Säby Church (50,7 km)
Karlsborg Fortress (22,6 km)
Väversunda Church (15 km)
Rogslösa Church (10,8 km)
Stjärnsund castle (45,2 km)

User Reviews

Carl Niclas (12 months ago)
Vadstena Castle is a fantastic 16th century keep, complete with a moat, dungeons and a grand ballroom. It is very well kept nowadays and be sure to get a guided tour for all the extra fun information about its former inhabitants and events over the centuries. It's quite spectacular and very much worth a long detour.
chadi zeidan (12 months ago)
Great place and neighbourhood.. the forest and the lac very nice
Caspar Dyssel (12 months ago)
Surprisingly good museum. Make sure to see it all. You can get through it in ca. 90 minutes.
Andreas Karlsson (16 months ago)
Great venue! A historical place with great atmosphere. We had our wedding here in the rentable part of the castle and got help from the person responsible with contacts for both food, tables and so on. The best day of my life in a great place! 5/5 would marry here again!
Udana Perera (16 months ago)
Historical sight, it was informative and got to know the history behind making the castle. Videos are available in 3 different languages at the site. Quite insightful and it's good to watch it. Top floor will be open at specific times, kindly check with the assistant when you purchase your ticket.
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Bergenhus Fortress

Bergenhus fortress is one of the oldest and best preserved castles in Norway. It contains buildings dating as far back as the 1240s, as well as later constructions built as recently as World War II. The extent of the enclosed area of today dates from the early 19th century. In medieval times, the area of the present-day Bergenhus Fortress was known as Holmen (The islet), and contained the royal residence in Bergen, as well as a cathedral and several churches, the bishop's residence, and a Dominican monastery. Excavations have revealed foundations of buildings believed to date back to before 1100, which might have been erected by King Olav Kyrre. In the 13th century, until 1299, Bergen was the capital of Norway and Holmen was thus the main seat of Norway's rulers. It was first enclosed by stone walls in the 1240s.

Of the medieval buildings, a medieval hall and a defensive tower remain. The royal hall, today known as Haakon's Hall, built around 1260, is the largest medieval secular building in Norway. The defensive tower, known in the Middle Ages as the keep by the sea, was built around 1270 by King Magnus VI Lagabøte, and contained a royal apartment on the top floor. In the 1560s it was incorporated by the commander of the castle, Erik Rosenkrantz, into a larger structure, which is today known as the Rosenkrantz Tower.

In the Middle Ages, several churches, including the Christ Church, Bergen's cathedral, were situated on the premises. These however were torn down in the period 1526 to 1531, as the area of Holmen was converted into a purely military fortification under Danish rule. From around this time, the name Bergenhus came into use. Building work on the Christ Church probably started around 1100. It contained the shrine of saint Sunniva, the patron saint of Bergen and western Norway. In the 12th and 13th centuries it was the site of several royal coronations and weddings. It was also the burial site of at least six kings, as well as other members of the royal family. The site of its altar is today marked by a memorial stone.

In the 19th century, the fortress lost its function as a defensive fortification, but it was retained by the military as an administrative base. After restoration in the 1890s, and again after destruction sustained during World War II, Bergenhus is today again used as a feast hall for public events. During World War II, the German navy used several of its buildings for their headquarters, and they also constructed a large concrete bunker within the fortress walls. The buildings, including the Haakon's Hall, were severely damaged when a Dutch ship in the service of the German navy, carrying approximately 120 tons of dynamite, exploded on 20 April 1944 in the harbour just outside the fortress walls, but the buildings were later restored.

Bergenhus is currently under the command of the Royal Norwegian Navy, which has about 150 military personnel stationed there. The fortifications Sverresborg fortress and Fredriksberg fortress also lie in the centre of Bergen. Haakon's Hall and the Rosenkrantz Tower are open for visits by the public. Koengen, the central part of Bergenhus Fortress is also known as a concert venue.

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