Sturehof Castle, Salem, Sweden - SpottingHistory.com

The history of Sturehof manor date from the Middle Ages. The small village was owned by count and stateman Svante Sture, who was murdered by King Erik XIV. His son Mauritz Sture named the manor as Sturehof. In the next to centuries Sturehov was owned by several powerful noble families like Oxenstiernas and Wrangels.

Johan Liljencrantz , Gustav III's "Finance minister", acquired the property in 1778 as a summer lodge. The farmhouse was burnt and only the two wings from the 1600s was still standing. He let the architect Carl Fredrik Adelcrantz draw a new main building. Adelcrantz was at that time a very famous architect who designed also the Gustav III's opera house in Stockholm. The English garden was built in the 1700s to the north of the manor.

The main building was furnished and decorated by contemporary skilled craftsman and decorative painters, among them Louis Masreliez . As co-owner of Marie porcelain factory had Liljencrantz opportunity to gain Marieberg stoves to their new building. Therefore Sturehov has today the largest collection Marieberg stoves in Sweden, a total of 17 pieces. The most magnificent is "Liljecrantz fireplace”, also drawn to a Swedish stamp. Johan Liljencrantz did not stay long at Sturehov. After his first wife died in 1788 he built Norsborgs mansion and lived there with his new wife, Eleonora.

Today the manor is managed by the Real Estate Department of the municipality. There is a café in the south wing.

References:

Wikipedia

User Reviews

Jenny Vikholm (3 years ago)
Trevligt ställe för en familjeutflykt, ta med egen matsäck eller köp på plats men kolla så att kaféet är öppet innan, de har sommaröppet och därefter öppet vissa helger under vår och höst, detsamma för slottet, men krukmakeriet brukar ha mer generösa öppettider. Finns toaletter vid parkeringen, även handikapp, och i kaféet. Jättegod mat/fika på kaféet men lite dyrt, de gör allt själva så brödet är jättebra! Åk sedan ett varv runt Bornsjön och titta på natur och vilda djur!

Lionel METZ (3 years ago)
Nice but sadly closed when I came.

Elisabet Thijssen (3 years ago)
Nice place

Jim Engström (3 years ago)
The coffee here is very good and the surrounding is lovely during the warmer part of the year.

Elliot Sverin (4 years ago)
I bit hard to get to, but just walking around the area in the middle of the summer makes it worthwile

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Photo from Flickr, copyright Erik Christensen, Porkeri

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Kirkjubøargarður

Kirkjubøargarður ('Yard of Kirkjubøur', also known as King"s Farm) is one of the oldest still inhabited wooden houses of the world. The farm itself has always been the largest in the Faroe Islands. The old farmhouse dates back to the 11th century. It was the episcopal residence and seminary of the Diocese of the Faroe Islands, from about 1100. Sverre I of Norway (1151–1202), grew up here and went to the priest school. The legend says, that the wood for the block houses came as driftwood from Norway and was accurately bundled and numbered, just for being set up. Note, that there is no forest in the Faroes and wood is a very valuable material. Many such wood legends are thus to be found in Faroese history.

The oldest part is a so-called roykstova (reek parlour, or smoke room). Perhaps it was moved one day, because it does not fit to its foundation. Another ancient room is the loftstovan (loft room). It is supposed that Bishop Erlendur wrote the 'Sheep Letter' here in 1298. This is the earliest document of the Faroes we know today. It is the statute concerning sheep breeding on the Faroes. Today the room is the farm"s library. The stórastovan (large room) is from a much later date, being built in 1772.

Though the farmhouse is a museum, the 17th generation of the Patursson Family, which has occupied it since 1550, is still living here. Shortly after the Reformation in the Faroe Islands in 1538, all the real estate of the Catholic Church was seized by the King of Denmark. This was about half of the land in the Faroes, and since then called King"s Land (kongsjørð). The largest piece of King"s Land was the farm in Kirkjubøur due to the above-mentioned Episcopal residence. This land is today owned by the Faroese government, and the Paturssons are tenants from generation to generation. It is always the oldest son, who becomes King"s Farmer, and in contrast to the privately owned land, the King"s Land is never divided between the sons.

The farm holds sheep, cattle and some horses. It is possible to get a coffee here and buy fresh mutton and beef directly from the farmer. In the winter season there is also hare hunting for the locals. Groups can rent the roykstovan for festivities and will be served original Faroese cuisine.

Other famous buildings directly by the farmhouse are the Magnus Cathedral and the Saint Olav"s Church, which also date back to the mediaeval period. All three together represent the Faroe Island"s most interesting historical site.

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