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.

References:

Comments

Your name



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

Reidi Roodharige (5 months ago)
Kärnan is a medieval tower in Helsingborg, the only part remaining of a larger Danish fortress, great shops and park nearby to enjoy an afternoon Fika.
Martin Skauge (6 months ago)
I visited Helsingborg and saw Kärnan while walking around the city at night. From the first steps of the stairs the view is absolutely amazing. Especially because of the time of the day the lights really made it look astonishing. We walked up the stairs and got a look at the tower and a view of the city from above. A must see when visiting Helsingborg.
Reza Sattarzadeh Nowbari (6 months ago)
The remnants of an old medieval castle on the coast of Helsingborg, this castle is visible as you leave the ferry terminal. The area is very well preserved, and one can have a pleasant stroll around the area of the castle. The best time to go is early in the morning when all is quiet and not many people are around, and you can do some great photo shooting around the castle.
MARIA GRAZIA PIGNATARO (6 months ago)
Been here in July. There was a food festival in the square below the tower. It’s not difficult going up the tower, also because it’s possible to have few stops at the 4 floors that are worth a visit. We found some information of the tower on the internet and read them at each floor. There is a terrace on the top where you can take cool pictures of the town.
Albert Flo (6 months ago)
A great site to visit, historical, clean and well preserved. An extraordinary panoramic view of the east coast of the city. A large green area around the top and next to the boulevard. By paying, you can enter inside the tower, everything else can be visited at any time.
Powered by Google

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

Historic Site of the week

Linderhof Palace

Linderhof is the smallest of the three palaces built by King Ludwig II of Bavaria and the only one which he lived to see completed.

Ludwig II, who was crowned king in 1864, began his building activities in 1867-1868 by redesigning his rooms in the Munich Residenz and laying the foundation stone of Neuschwanstein Castle. In 1868 he was already making his first plans for Linderhof. However, neither the palace modelled on Versailles that was to be sited on the floor of the valley nor the large Byzantine palace envisaged by Ludwig II were ever built.

Instead, the new building developed around the forester's house belonging to his father Maximilian II, which was located in the open space in front of the present palace and was used by the king when crown prince on hunting expeditions with his father.