The history of Mälsåker palace stretches back to the Middle Ages when it probably was a simple stone house. During Sweden’s period as a great power in Europe in the 17th century the palace was owned by the Soop family. The famous architect Nikodemus Tessin was engaged to alter the building into one of the grandest baroque palaces in Sweden. The house was extended, wings and a terrace with stairs facing the see were added in 1660-1670s. During the 18th century the interiors were partly changed into the rococo style. At the end of the 19th century the house was modernized with electricity, water and central heating.
The 1940s turned out to be the most dramatic decennium for Mälsåker. Between 1943-1945 Mälsåker was owned by the State of Norway and used for training of approximately 2,000 soldiers living in hutments. The palace was used as an office and accommodation for officers and commands. A very cold day in January 1945 all fireplaces in the palace are used, which causes the chimney shaft to crack, the roof catches fire and the catastrophe is a fact. The roof fell in and the richly ornamented stucco ceilings on the third floor were destroyed. A great deal of the noble baroque palace had turned into a ruin.
In the 1990s Mälsåker started to regain its former glory. A building workshop was established and parts of the palace were restored using old building techniques and traditional materials. Stucco ceilings were re-created as was the beautiful patterned wooden floors.
Since 2007 an association is responsible for making the palace available for visitors. During summertime the palace is open for individual visitors as well as for pre-booked group visits. In the palace you will find an exhibition from the “Norway-era”, an exhibition from the period around 1900 and also several artists showing their work in the beautiful rooms. You are welcome to have some refreshments in the newly established café- and exhibition building, located just next to the palace with an astonishing view of the lake.
References:The church of the former Franciscan monastery was built probably between 1515 and 1520. It is located in the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Old Rauma. The church stands by the small stream of Raumanjoki (Rauma river).
The exact age of the Church of the Holy Cross is unknown, but it was built to serve as the monastery church of the Rauma Franciscan Friary. The monastery had been established in the early 15th century and a wooden church was built on this location around the year 1420.
The Church of the Holy Cross served the monastery until 1538, when it was abandoned for a hundred years as the Franciscan friary was disbanded in the Swedish Reformation. The church was re-established as a Lutheran church in 1640, when the nearby Church of the Holy Trinity was destroyed by fire.
The choir of the two-aisle grey granite church features medieval murals and frescoes. The white steeple of the church was built in 1816 and has served as a landmark for seafarers.