Hovdala Castle, Hässleholm, Sweden

The oldest parts of Hovdala castle date from the 16th century, although it was first time mentioned already in the 12th century. There are so-called anchoring irons visible on the facade of one of the buildings are marked with the date 1511. Hovdala's gate tower, built in the early 1600's, served as a formidable entrance for the complex. This four-storey structure, with three-foot walls, withstood intensive fighting during Scania's turbulent periods. Hovdala Castle is today a popular visitor attraction and it is managed by the National Board of Antiques.

References:

Hässleholms Kommun

User Reviews

de Gourét Litchfield (2 years ago)
An historic building and area with a great many activities and some beautiful scenery in the area... not least the Tree House and sleeping pods up on a nearby ridge.

Sebastian Huynh (2 years ago)
Its a wonderful place to relax and take a walk.

Anna Cismasu (2 years ago)
We took a brief visit as it was raining lots that day. Nothing we could visit inside of you don't get to come in time for the guiding. Nice and I'm sure you get much to see on a sunny day. If you love Batman and Dracula you got to see the exhibition. Love the red building called Orangeriet where they brought exotic plants when the Ehrenborgs owned the castle.

Pälle Syrén Mandelkonvalj (2 years ago)
An out of the ordinary castle dating back to the 16th century. Complete with bullet holes from the many wars between Denmark and Sweden. The castle is frequently host to different events during the year, such as medieval festivals, bat excursions and historic lectures. Has a restaurant and a cafe.

Gregor Shapiro (2 years ago)
Wonderful setting, especially in nice weather. One of, if not the, best gift shops weight crafts I have ever been in. A fine restaurant and a nice café.

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Photo from Flickr, copyright Arnie Papp

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From its origin as a small stronghold built by the ancient Illyrian tribe Dalmatae, becoming a royal castle that was the seat of many Croatian kings, to its final development as a large fortress during the Ottoman wars in Europe, Klis Fortress has guarded the frontier, being lost and re-conquered several times. Due to its location on a pass that separates the mountains Mosor and Kozjak, the fortress served as a major source of defense in Dalmatia, especially against the Ottoman advance, and has been a key crossroad between the Mediterranean belt and the Balkan rear.

Since Duke Mislav of the Duchy of Croatia made Klis Fortress the seat of his throne in the middle of the 9th century, the fortress served as the seat of many Croatia"s rulers. The reign of his successor, Duke Trpimir I, the founder of the Croatian royal House of Trpimirović, is significant for spreading Christianity in the Duchy of Croatia. He largely expanded the Klis Fortress, and in Rižinice, in the valley under the fortress, he built a church and the first Benedictine monastery in Croatia. During the reign of the first Croatian king, Tomislav, Klis and Biograd na Moru were his chief residences.

In March 1242 at Klis Fortress, Tatars who were a constituent segment of the Mongol army under the leadership of Kadan suffered a major defeat while in pursuit of the Hungarian army led by King Béla IV. After their defeat by Croatian forces, the Mongols retreated, and Béla IV rewarded many Croatian towns and nobles with 'substantial riches'. During the Late Middle Ages, the fortress was governed by Croatian nobility, amongst whom Paul I Šubić of Bribir was the most significant. During his reign, the House of Šubić controlled most of modern-day Croatia and Bosnia. Excluding the brief possession by the forces of Bosnian King, Tvrtko I, the fortress remained in Hungaro-Croatian hands for the next several hundred years, until the 16th century.

Klis Fortress is probably best known for its defense against the Ottoman invasion of Europe in the early 16th century. Croatian captain Petar Kružić led the defense of the fortress against a Turkish invasion and siege that lasted for more than two and a half decades. During this defense, as Kružić and his soldiers fought without allies against the Turks, the military faction of Uskoks was formed, which later became famous as an elite Croatian militant sect. Ultimately, the defenders were defeated and the fortress was occupied by the Ottomans in 1537. After more than a century under Ottoman rule, in 1669, Klis Fortress was besieged and seized by the Republic of Venice, thus moving the border between Christian and Muslim Europe further east and helping to contribute to the decline of the Ottoman Empire. The Venetians restored and enlarged the fortress, but it was taken by the Austrians after Napoleon extinguished the republic itself in 1797. Today, Klis Fortress contains a museum where visitors to this historic military structure can see an array of arms, armor, and traditional uniforms.

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