Ekenäs Castle in Linköping - ghost castle with 7 ghosts

Facts about Ekenäs Castle

• Municipality: Linköping
• County: County of Östergötland
• Landscape: Östergötland
• Start of construction: 1640s
• Architect: Hans Fleming
• Style: Renaissance
• Material: Stone and brick
• Owners: The Bergengren family
• Read more: You can find more information at the castle's website

Tours and activities

• Views: Guided tours are organised during the summer months. See the castle's website for times and bookings.
• Specialised tours: Sometimes special tours are organised such as Behind the Scenes, Dark & Mysterious, Treasure Hunt at the Castle and more.
• Ghost walk: Ghost walks are organised in the autumn.
• Events: At the castle, you can book various events such as weddings, dinners and children's parties.
• Ekenäs jousting: Knights' games are usually organised in the summer, along with a craft market.
• Christmas market: Christmas fair with artisans is organised.

Services and practical information

• Toilets: Available at the car parks.
• Café: During the summer months there is a castle café in one of the wing buildings.
• Rules: Dogs are not allowed inside the castle. You can bring your own refreshments to the park, but barbecues are not allowed.

Accessibility

• Outdoor and indoor environment: The castle is located on a hill and can be difficult to access with a wheelchair or walker. If you book in advance, arrangements can be made to drive all the way to the front, as well as a ramp to the first floor.
• Toilet: Accessible toilets are available at the car parks.

Getting to Ekenäs Castle

• Municipal: It is not easy to get to the castle by public transport. The nearest bus stop "Ekenäsvägen" is 2 kilometres from the castle.
• Car: For example, take road 35 from Linköping and then Grenadjärtorpsvägen. Parking is available at the castle.

History at Ekenäs Castle

• 13th century: A village existed where Ekenäs Castle now stands.
• 15th century: The villagers were forced to move and make way for a larger residence in the area. The Natt och Dag family ruled the area, and one of its branches eventually became the Sture family.

16th century

• 1560s: A newer stone house was built, a so-called kastal, was built where the castle stands today.
• 1561: Svante Sture the Younger, who had a career in the king's entourage, was appointed Count by King Erik XIV.
• 1563: Svante Sture the Younger fell out of favour with the King and was removed from all his posts.
• 1567: King Erik XIV had Svante Sture the Younger killed along with his sons and other great men in the 'Sture Murders'. Svante's wife Märta (known as 'King Märta') managed to maintain and expand the family's holdings.
• End of the 16th century: Svante Sture's daughter Christina married Gustav Banér and Ekenäs became a Banér estate.

17th century

• 1600: Gustav Banér, like other lords of the kingdom, lost his life in the Linköping bloodbath. In connection with this, the properties were confiscated.
• 1603: Banér's widow, Christina Sture, regained Ekenäs.
• 1612: During a campaign in Skåne, the Swedish army was surprised by a Danish force. King Gustav II Adolf was rescued on a horse, nearly drowning in a pool of ice and saved by Peder Banér.
• 1630-1644: Peder Banér had Ekenäs Castle built. The architect was the Dutchman Hans Flemming. He died before the castle was finished and his son, Claes Banér, completed it.
• 1675: Gustaf Banér inherited Ekenäs Castle. The reduction hit him hard and he was forced to sell the estate for financial reasons. After several changes of ownership, the new owner was Count Mauritz Vellingk.

18th and 19th century

• 1727: Count Mauritz Vellingk was condemned from life, honour and estate, which was converted to life imprisonment. The stone wings in the Carolingian style date from Vellingk's time.
• Mid-19th century: The castle underwent major changes. The drawbridge was replaced by a stone arch bridge. The knight's hall was replaced by a corridor, sleeping and guest rooms and a church hall. With the marriage of Vellingk's daughter Ulrika Kristina to Lieutenant General Johan Banér, the castle was once again owned by the Banér family.
• 1879: The castle was sold to Count Philip Otto Leonard Klingspor. Count Klingspor's daughter Mathilde lived alone in the castle until 1934.

20th century to present

• 1939: Ekenäs Castle was bought by Anders W Bergengren. The castle was then uninhabited. It was used during the Second World War as a military depot and then fell into disrepair.
• 1974: The castle was declared a listed building and has since been renovated. The castle now serves as a museum and is open to visitors in the summer.