Kärnan is a medieval tower, the only part remaining of a larger Danish fortress which controlled the entrance to the Baltic Sea.

The origins of the fortress is disputed but Danish legend places its origin to the reign of the legendary King Fróði. However, this legend has not been supported by archaeological proof. Dendrochronological dating has shown that the core was built in the 1310s, when Eric VI of Denmark was King of Denmark. It was considered the most important fortress in Denmark, and was integral in securing control over the strait between Scania and Zealand.

It was surrendered to Sweden along with the rest of Skåneland as part of the Treaty of Roskilde in 1658. The fortress was retaken by Danish forces in 1676 during the Scanian War, and its capture celebrated by flying a giant Flag of Denmark above it. This flag was later captured by the Swedish army and is preserved in the Army Museum (Armémuseum) in Stockholm. The fortress returned to Swedish control by the Treaty of Lund in 1679. Charles XI of Sweden ordered most of it demolished fearing that it was too exposed to a sneak attack from Denmark. The only thing that was saved for posterity was the old medieval tower core. The tower continued to serve as a landmark for shipping through Øresund.

The castle was restored starting during 1893-94, under instructions from Oscar Ferdinand Trapp, a Swedish businessman and engineer (1847–1916). Architect for the restoration was Josef Alfred Hellerström (1863–1931), Helsingborg city architect from 1903 to 1928. The objective of the restoration was to restore, to the extent possible, the appearance the structure had based upon the oldest known medieval illustration. The building's crenellation dates from these repairs.

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Details

Founded: 1310s
Category: Castles and fortifications in Sweden
Historical period: Consolidation (Sweden)

More Information

en.wikipedia.org

Rating

4.5/5 (based on Google user reviews)

User Reviews

Shweta Chitkara Verma (5 months ago)
Very amazing and beautiful place. We drove from Malmo to helsingborg to see this place and it was worth a ride. You get to see beautiful tower with some beautiful views. Nive garden around. There is nominal entry fee for visiting in the tower. A great place to spend time with friends and family.
AnJa Mack (6 months ago)
Very beautiful medieval tower, which was built in its current appearance around 1320 and was part of a fortress. You can just visit on the opening hours. Enjoy its a beautiful place. You can download a app and listen to the audio guide in German, English and Swedish and walk through the tower. Entrance fee is 60SEK so totally fine. Staff is really helpful and feindlich. Also there are a toilette in the building. Not for wheel chairs and strollers only walking. The terasse is amazing.
Frank Versteegen (7 months ago)
A nice, ancient, tower that you can climb to enjoy even a better view of the city then from the Terrasstraporna. An entrance fee is applicable for adults.
gustavo stecher (8 months ago)
very nice old tower in a great park. The stairs are beautiful and the view is fantastic. If you’re lucky, you’ll get a free concert in the park…
DriveTalks (10 months ago)
It has got a nice garden around it. Not so big like some castles but has got a nice city view from there
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