Karlberg Castle and Castle Park – history, attractions and walks

Text and photo: Helena Bergström

Updated: September 2026 | Karlberg Castle and Castle Park are located on the border between Solna and Stockholm, right next to the Karlberg Canal. Here you will find a beautiful 17th-century castle, a historic park, a runestone, a royal dog grave and several traces of Sweden's military history. For us, Karlberg is also part of everyday life - we live on a houseboat in Pampas marina nearby and often walk past.

Karlberg Castle and Castle Park – a part of our everyday life

Karlberg Castle has been in our lives for much longer than we have lived on a houseboat. Peter grew up on Karlbergsvägen and lived there from the time he was born until he was 12. He remembers visiting Karlberg Castle Park as a child.

Since 2013 we have been living together on a houseboat in Pampas marina, just a short walk from Karlberg. The castle and the castle park have therefore become part of our everyday environment and we often pass by here during our walks.

And yet I never tire of photographing the castle. ”Don’t you have enough photos of that castle?” Peter might ask when I once again take out my camera or mobile phone.

But apparently not. Karlberg Castle looks different all the time! In the summer it is framed by greenery, in the fall by colorful leaves and sometimes the snow lies white over the area in the winter. Add morning light, evening light, sun, fog and darkness and there is always a reason to take another picture.

The castle is also beautiful from both sides of the Karlberg Canal. And if you stand in front of the castle and turn the camera the other way, you get nice views over the water instead.

Karlberg Castle – from the 17th century to a military academy

Karlberg's history dates back to the early 17th century. Carl Carlsson Gyllenhielm, son of Charles IX and half-brother of Gustav II Adolf, had a castle built here in the 1630s. The property was named Karlberg.

After Gyllenhielm's death, Karlberg came into the possession of Magnus Gabriel De la Gardie. During his time, the complex was expanded and given more of the grandeur associated with a castle.

In 1688, Karlberg became royal property and became a royal pleasure palace. After the Tre Kronor Palace burned down in 1697, the royal family lived for a period at Karlberg, which was then used as a summer residence, among other things.

In 1792, a whole new chapter began when the Royal Swedish Military Academy was established at Karlberg. Since then, officers have been trained here in unbroken succession. The Karlberg Military Academy is therefore described as the world's oldest military academy with officer training in unbroken succession at the same location.

Today, the castle is still used by the Karlberg Military Academy. It houses offices and teaching facilities, and is also used for representation and ceremonies.

Can you visit Karlberg Castle?

Karlberg Castle is beautiful to look at from the outside, but it does not function as a regular visitor castle with regular tours. The castle is a workplace for the Karlberg Military Academy and is a military protected object, which means that the public does not have access to the building itself. The castle park, however, is normally accessible to the public.

Karlberg Castle Park – from Baroque park to walking area

A magnificent park was laid out at Karlberg as early as the 17th century. It was designed using French Baroque gardens as a model, with straight axes, plantings and a clear symmetry.

During the late 18th century, parts of the area took on a freer character, inspired by the English landscape park. In the 1780s, the architect Fredrik Magnus Piper was commissioned to change parts of the park and the previously strict park landscape was supplemented with softer and more romantic elements. However, some of the straight Baroque road system still remains today.

Today, Karlberg Castle Park is both a historical environment and a green area where you can walk and exercise.

Our own regular tour starts at home in Pampas marina. We walk along the water and past Karlberg Castle, and when we have passed the castle we turn into the park and head back towards Pampas.

Most of the time we walk just to get some exercise and get outside for a while, but sometimes we've also jogged the same distance. Then one of the park's hills has served as an extra challenge, where we've tried to increase the pace a little on the way up.

It's surprisingly easy to get the feeling of being out in nature here, despite Stockholm's inner city being right next door. We've seen both rabbits and squirrels during our rounds and the park offers a nice mix of more open spaces, large trees and a bit more wild nature.

Furthermore, there is much more to discover along the way than you might first suspect.

Attractions in Karlberg Castle Park

The first few times we walked through the park, we mostly thought of it as a nice area for walking and exercising. Gradually, we began to discover all the historical details scattered among the trees. Here are some of them.

Charles XII oak

In the park is the old so-called Karl XII oak. According to tradition, the future Karl XII is said to have played by the oak together with his sisters Hedvig Sofia and Ulrika Eleonora when they were children.

The story is a tradition rather than something we can know for sure, but the oak is another reminder of Karlberg's long royal history.

Runestone U 124

Even older history can be found at the runestone U 124. It was erected during the Viking Age and the inscription tells of a stone that Anund and Torgils had erected after Åsgöt. The stone does not stand in its original place but was moved to Karlbergsparken during the 20th century.

It's quite fascinating to walk around among buildings and monuments from the past few centuries and suddenly stand in front of a runestone that is about a thousand years old.

Gravity pumps

One of the park's more unusual attractions is Pompe's grave. Pompe was the name of Charles XII's dog – or rather dogs. The king is said to have had three dogs, all named Pompe. The first died on Karlberg in 1699 and was buried here. Pompe number two died in Poland in 1703 and the third in Hungary in 1714.

Amidst all the grand royal and military history, the small dog grave feels like an unexpected and rather charming feature.

Temple of Neptunii – or Temple of Diana

One of our personal favorites in Karlberg Castle Park is the small classicist temple that is usually called both the Temple of Neptune and the Temple of Diana.

The temple was built in the early 1790s and designed by architect Carl Christoffer Gjörwell. It was built on a raised terrace in the castle park and was originally called Neptunii Temple. Later it came to be called Diana's Temple.

The name may have been confused with an older hunting temple in the park, Dianaberg or Dianeberg, which existed here during the time of Magnus Gabriel De la Gardie. The older temple fell into disrepair and was demolished in 1787, before the current temple was built.

Regardless of the name, it is a very nice little building and a place we always enjoy passing on our rounds through the park, regardless of the season.

Military history among the trees

Since Karlberg has been used for military training since 1792, there are of course plenty of traces of that activity.

One of the memorial stones is dedicated to Wilhelm von Döbeln, who became a cadet at Karlberg in 1802 and later fell at Leipzig in 1813. It is not the more famous general Georg Carl von Döbeln that the stone is about, although the name may easily lead one to think of him.

The park also contains memorial stones for the 100th and 200th anniversaries of the War School, in 1892 and 1992.

A much darker memory is the so-called Sprängstenen. It recalls an accident on July 29, 1942, when an exercise with tank mines had catastrophic consequences. Six people died. According to the contemporary official investigation, the exact cause of the accident could not be determined.

Here you will also find the so-called Fyverkarhuset, a small building that is associated with Karlberg's military history.

Walk and exercise in Karlberg Castle Park

For us, it's not the individual sights that primarily make us return to Karlberg Castle Park. It's the whole thing.

We usually go here to get some exercise and get outside for a while. Sometimes it's a brisk walk, sometimes a jog, and sometimes we stop to look at something, take photos, or just enjoy the environment.

And perhaps it is precisely the combination that makes Karlberg special. One moment you pass a magnificent 17th-century castle, the next a thousand-year-old runestone or a royal dog grave, and soon after you find yourself among trees, squirrels and rabbits.

There is a lot of nature and history in a relatively small area – and surprisingly quiet considering how close you are to Stockholm's city center.

Why is the Pampas marina called ”Pampas”?

For us, there is also another connection between Karlberg and the place where we live. Pampas marina is located west of Karlberg Castle, at the mouth of the Karlberg Canal towards Lake Ulvsunda. The name Pampas was used long before today's marina existed and was a name for the open training area at Karlberg.

The name is believed to have originated among the cadets, who called the training field Pampas – likely in allusion to the large open pampas plains in South America.

It's a bit funny to think about when we walk home from Karlberg. The name of the place where our houseboat is located most likely has its origins in the military activities at the castle.

READ MORE: Pampas marina in Solna - all you need to know

Good to know in 2026

Extensive construction and renovation work is currently underway in the Karlberg area. Among other things, a new dining hall is being built while older buildings are being renovated. The palace's facade and windows are also being renovated.

During the construction period, walkways may be rerouted and parts of the area may be closed. The Fortifications Agency states that the work will continue in the coming years. Therefore, follow the signage on site and please check the latest information before your visit.

For us, Karlberg will continue to be a part of everyday life. We will walk through the park, run on the slopes occasionally, and pass the castle on our way to and from Pampas.

And I will most likely continue photographing Karlberg Castle, no matter how many photos I already have.