Borgholm Castle - powerful castle ruins on Öland, Sweden

Borgholm Castle is sometimes called "the most beautiful ruin in the Nordic region" and is indeed a mighty castle ruin. As well as being impressively large, the castle has a fantastic view of the sea. Borgholm Castle simply must be seen!

Borgholm Castle

Borgholm Castle is today a ruin of the castle that was built on Öland in the 13th century - and in the 17th century was rebuilt into a magnificent baroque palace by Charles X Gustav. Many people have passed through here over the years, from kings and bailiffs to craftsmen and prisoners. Today, Borgholm Castle is one of Öland's biggest tourist destinations.

Borgholm Castle is located just south of the town of Borgholm, on the west coast of Öland.

Borgholm Castle - from fortress to baroque castle

As early as the 12th century, a tower was erected on the site, and in the 13th century a castle was built around the tower on the royal initiative. During this time, Borgholm Castle was one of the most important fortresses in the Nordic region, and the castle was constantly at the centre of war and politics.

When Gustav Vasa conquered Borgholm from the Danes in 1523, the castle was badly damaged and in need of repair. There was no money for renovation at the time, so it was Gustav Vasa's son Johan III who saved the castle from destruction. He built a magnificent Renaissance castle with four corner towers.

During the Kalmar War of 1611-1613, the castle was the scene of fierce fighting between Swedes and Danes. Chancellor Axel Oxenstierna noted in 1633 that it was only 'fit to be used as a hunting lodge'.

Despite challenges, the castle had another period of glory ahead of it. The heir to the throne, Charles Gustav, later Charles X Gustav, ordered the remodelling of the castle into a grand baroque palace. The plans were grandiose and the construction was led by the renowned architect Nicodemus Tessin the Elder. However, construction was never completed and came to a halt in 1709.

During the 18th century, the castle fell into disrepair. The tenant farmer Axel Adlersparre set up a clothing factory in one of the wings, but in 1806 a fire broke out that left the entire castle in ruins.

Visiting Borgholm Castle

Visiting Borgholm Castle is a fascinating experience. Even though we had seen pictures before we came here, we were impressed. The castle is really powerful!

You can walk around on your own and discover vaults, rooms, staircases and great viewpoints. In some places you'll find some extra fun photo spots ...

In addition to the castle itself, you can see the remains of other old buildings. These include the old king's house and the "Stekarhuset", which was used for cooking.

Museum tells story of rise and fall

Inside Borgholm Castle there is a museum, which is nice to visit. Here you can learn about history in a more lively way. You can get an idea of what it looked like when the castle was attacked by the Danes or try to imagine the "royal waistline". King Karl X Gustaf not only liked war and women, but also food. When he died at the age of 37, it is said that he had a waist measurement of 2 metres.

Hall of Fame - celebrity rooms in the castle

In one of the rooms of the castle you can visit the "Hall of Fame". Here you can see a number of shields representing some of the prominent guests who have visited the castle over the past 900 years. To begin with, you can list historical figures such as Magnud Ladulås, Johan III, Karl X Gustav, Karl XI, Carl XVI Gustav, Carl Linnaeus, Jonas Love Almqvist and Sven Hedin.

Recently, the castle has been visited by many famous artists, such as ABBA, Sven Bertil Taube, Björn Skifs, Tomas Ledin, Ulf Lundell, Carola Häggkvist, Birgit Nilsson, Leonard Cohen, Status Quo and many others.

Where can you stay or park your motorhome?

In Borgholm there are of course many different hotels and other accommodation options to choose from. If you are travelling with a motorhome, you can stay overnight in the parking lot at Borgholm Castle (parking fee via app) or in the parking lot at Solliden next door (free).

If you want to camp, you can go to Kapelluddens camping, which is nicely situated by the water and in a good location for visiting the centre of Borgholm.

See more in the neighbourhood

Right next to Borgholm Castle is Solliden, with its beautiful gardens. It is also nice to visit Borgholm with its shopping street and restaurants. Southeast of the castle you will find Öland's museum Himmelsberga, which is another nice stop.

If you go north, you can follow the nice old coastal road between Äleklinta and Byrum. It is of course also interesting to make a visit to Kalmar!

Have you visited Borgholm Castle? How was your experience? Do you have any other tips on nice places to visit in the neighbourhood?

Facts about Borgholm Castle

• Municipality: Borgholm municipality
• County: Kalmar County
• Landscape: Öland
• Established: 13th century
• Creator/Architect: Johan Baptista Pahr and Dominicus Pahr
• Style: Renaissance
• Material: Stone
• Owners: State Property Agency
• Read more: You can find more information at the castle's website.

Services and practical information

• Opening hours: Between 1 April and 21 September 2021, the castle is open daily. For exact times, see the castle's website. Please note that times may change during major concerts or events.
• Prices: Adults 100 SEK, youth (12-17 years old) 60 SEK and children under 12 years old free in the company of an adult (2021). The cultural heritage card gives a 50% discount on the regular admission price for the cardholder.
• Rules: Card payment only. Dogs are welcome. Borgholm Castle is non-smoking.

History at Borgholm Castle

• End of the 12th century: A castle, i.e. a powerful tower, was built. A ring wall was built around the tower.
• 1281: The castle was probably completed. The castle was important militarily, given its position opposite Kalmar.

16th century

• Early 16th century: The castle was destroyed during the wars between Sweden and Denmark, and was only rebuilt during the reign of John III.
• 1572: Johan Baptista Pahr and then his brother Dominicus were the master builders of the castle.
• 1593: The construction of the castle was stopped by order of Duke Charles.

17th century

• 1602: The defence agencies were strengthened.
• 1611: The Danes attacked on 8 August, and it was only on 7 October that Gustaf Adolf managed to get the Danish commander Kristen Hansen to surrender.
• 1612: The Danes returned on 2 June and after nine days of shelling the castle was surrendered by Peder Michelsson to Gert Rantzau.
• 1613: After the Peace of Knäred, the badly damaged castle was returned and repairs began.
• 1651: The building of the castle continued under the direction of Nicodemus Tessin the Elder.
• 166o: When Charles X Gustav died, construction work stopped.
• 1681: Construction work resumed.

18th century to the present

• 1709: Construction stalled and the castle was never completed according to Tessin's plan. Eventually it began to fall into disrepair.
• 1806: The castle was further destroyed by fire.