Valdemars Castle was built by King Christian IV (1588–1648) between 1639 and 1644. It is designed by Hans van Stenwinkel. The king’s plans for his new castle were that the house should become the home for his son Valdemar Christian, who was born to him by Kirstine Munk. King Christian was renowned for his interest in building. On the island of Tåsinge, belonging to his mother in law Ellen Marsvin, the king decided to build a castle for his young son. However, Valdemar Christian never moved in. He was killed in battle in Poland in 1656.
In 1678 the naval hero, Admiral Niels Juel, was given title to the castle and the land on Tåsinge after his victory over Sweden in the Battle of Køge Bay in 1677. The estate was transferred to him as payment for the Swedish ships captured in the battle.
The present owner, Baron Iuel-Brockdorff, who is 11th generation of the Juel family, took over his childhood home from his father in 1971 and lives in the castle with his wife and family. Valdemars Slot has been open to the public since 1974. The castle is open from May to October and on public holidays. The castle features a large chapel, a toy museum, the Iuel-Brockdorff family's big game trophy collection and a local maritime museum. As the castle lies near the beach, it is popular for visitors to come by ferry on the Helge from Svendborg.
References:Visby Cathedral (also known as St. Mary’s Church) is the only survived medieval church in Visby. It was originally built for German merchants and inaugurated in 1225. Around the year 1350 the church was enlarged and converted into a basilica. The two-storey magazine was also added then above the nave as a warehouse for merchants.
Following the Reformation, the church was transformed into a parish church for the town of Visby. All other churches were abandoned. Shortly after the Reformation, in 1572, Gotland was made into its own Diocese, and the church designated its cathedral.
There is not much left of the original interior. The font is made of local red marble in the 13th century. The pulpit was made in Lübeck in 1684. There are 400 graves under the church floor.