Tureborgen in Uddevalla is an exciting ruin of a castle that looked medieval, but was built at the turn of the century. Today you can discover the remains of the castle and hike in the beautiful surrounding countryside.
Table of contents
Tureborgen in Uddevalla
Tureborgen in Uddevalla was built between 1899 and 1912 by Ture Malmgren, an eccentric, local politician and founder of the newspaper Bohusläningen. Ture himself had travelled in Germany and was inspired by their medieval castles. Unfortunately, the mighty castle had a short lifespan, as it suffered a violent fire in 1950.
Tureborgen in Uddevalla is located in the south-eastern part of the town.
The history of Tureborgen
It was a powerful castle built by Ture Malmgren. The castle had around forty different rooms, a large knight's hall as well as towers, balconies and high stone walls. There was also a Bedouin-style room, a skittle alley, a music room with three pianos and several rooms with art by artists such as Anders Zorn.
Malmgren had a large fortune, but despite this, the construction project was very costly. Once the castle was completed, Malmgren held many guest weddings inspired by the national romanticism of the time, including whole roast pig and mead in large stalls.
When Ture Malmgren passed away in 1922, his widow Hilma stopped visiting the castle and it began to fall into disrepair. On 26 November 1950, the entire castle burned to the ground, and since then it has been an imaginative ruin.
Visiting Tureborgen
You can drive to Tureborgen by setting your GPS to "Tureborg". When we were here, however, the last road was closed, so we had to turn around and take another road at the end. That little "wrong turn" gave us the nice views and photos below.
When we drove the right way, we could park a short distance from the castle. However, you have to walk a little bit on a path, slightly uphill.
After a short walk, you arrive at the fascinating ruin. Some walls and arches remain.
At some point you can also step into a passageway that takes you down into underground rooms.
There is also a high tower, which you can both admire from below and climb.
From the top of the tower you have a great view of both the ruin and the town of Uddevalla.
We were also able to look down on a group that was taking part in a guided tour. If we understand it correctly, this guided tour may have been organised by Villa Elfkullen.
Villa Elfkullen
Villa Elfkullen was built by Ture Malmgren in 1886-1887 and is perhaps Uddevalla's most original house. The house is nicely situated on a hill, not far from the Tureborg ruin and is now a listed building. Inside there are beautiful tiled stoves and fine ceiling paintings, and according to the website there are guided tours for the public on Sundays during the summer months.
Ture Malmgren's mountain hut
Right next to the ruins of Tureborgen in Uddevalla, we found 'Ture Malmgren's mountain hut' on the map. What could it be?
Yes, this was the hunting lodge that Ture Malmgren thought belonged to a real castle. Of course, there was not much game in these parts, but that was perhaps less important.
The building was used for a time as a summer residence for Ture Malmgren's father, and then as a rental property for a few different families. Fjällhyddan was probably demolished in the 1960s, and today only ruins remain. When we walked around here, there were also plenty of stinging nettles.
Where can you stay or park your motorhome?
For example, you can stay at Hafstens Resort and Camping, whether you are travelling with a motorhome/caravan or want to stay in a cabin. In Uddevalla there are also two different sites - in the centre of Uddevalla at Museigatan 2 or on Rödön, Lindesnäs.
The picture below is from the central site, which may not be charming, but offers a central location and proximity to a supermarket and electricity for a reasonable price (100 kr/day in 2022).
More to see and do in the neighbourhood
When you visit Tureborgen, you'll want to experience the rest of the city. Uddevallaincluding beautiful surrounding natural areas. You can also head out to the coast to experience Lysekil or Skaftöor perhaps inland to visit Trollhättan or Vänersborg.
Skaftö in Bohuslän - Grundsund and Fiskebäckskil
Skaftö, or Skaftölandet as it may actually be called, is a charming island on the west coast, where you...
Hafsten Resort & Camping in Uddevalla - scenic camping luxury
Hafsten Resort & Camping is located in a scenic location on the west coast and offers camping, swimming, nature experiences, adventurous activities and...
What to do on Tjörn - 17 tips for a lovely island in Bohuslän.
What to see and do on Tjörn? This scenic island is located on the west coast, in Bohuslän,...
Carlsten's fortress on Marstrand - an exciting attraction
Carlsten's Fortress on Marstrand is an exciting attraction, offering fascinating historical environments and captivating...
Hamburgsund - West Coast charm and seafood feast
Hamburgsund is a cosy little town on the west coast, with high cliffs, boats, red cottages and a...
Rock carvings in Tanum - a Unesco World Heritage Site
Rock carvings in Tanum will be the topic today. Soooo exciting! Imagine that our ancestors sat and ...
Bohus Fortress - the castle that survived 14 sieges
Bohus Fortress has been defended by Norwegians, Danes and Swedes and has been subjected to a total of 14 sieges -...
Tjurpannan nature reserve - western coastal idyll in Grebbestad
Tjurpannan Nature Reserve is located just north of Grebbestad in Bohuslän and is a real West Coast idyll. Here we meet...
Things to do in Uddevalla - 17 tips for the heart of Bohuslän
What to see and do in Uddevalla? This west coast town is often called the 'heart of Bohuslän' and...
A lovely boat trip with M/S Donalda in Grebbestad.
What a wonderful boat trip with M/S Donalda in Grebbestad! When we arrived in Grebbestad we had no...
From Varberg to Hunnebostrand in a motorhome - with foreign guests
The second part of our motorhome trip in Sweden, together with our South African friends, went from Varberg...
Ramsvikslandet in Bohuslän - walking in the 'kingdom of rocks'
Ramsvikslandet is a nature reserve on the west coast, nicknamed the 'Kingdom of the Rocks'. And indeed it is a...
The King's Gap in Fjällbacka - The Wolf Claw in Ronia the Robber's Daughter
The King's Gorge in Fjällbacka is a dramatic gorge in Vetteberget, named after a visit...
MUMA Mural paintings on Orust - stories about women
MUMA Muralmålningar (Mural Modern Art) is an art project that highlights women in the rural areas of eastern Orust....
Things to do in Lysekil - 20 tips for a West Coast gem
What to see and do in Lysekil? This gem on the west coast offers beautiful cliffs,...
Käringön in Bohuslän - an idyllic island off the coast of Orust.
Käringön is an idyllic island off Orust in Bohuslän. Here you can sunbathe and swim, walk...
Things to do in Smögen - 17 tips for the seafood mecca
What to see and do in Smögen? This lovely west coast town is truly a seafood mecca. Plus...
What to do on Orust - 15 tips for a beautiful island on the west coast
What to see and do on Orust? This beautiful west coast island offers a wonderful environment ...
Dyrön in Bohuslän - a lovely archipelago island outside Tjörn.
Dyrön, or Stora Dyrön as the island is actually called, is a lovely and scenic archipelago island off Tjörn,...
Visiting the Koster Islands in Bohuslän - a lovely trip!
Visiting the Koster Islands can be a really wonderful excursion! The scenic Koster Islands are located just outside Strömstad,...
The Swedish Bohuslän Road - FREEDOMtravel Themed Roads
Svenska Bohuslänsvägen is a themed road that takes you through Bohuslän, to experience the beautiful...
What to do in Strömstad - 17 tips for Sweden's westernmost town
What to see and do in Strömstad? This town in Bohuslän, which is Sweden's most...
Things to do in Hunnebostrand - 19 tips for an archipelago idyll
What to see and do in Hunnebostrand? This delightful archipelago idyll offers dramatic scenery, picturesque...
Trollhätte canal by motorhome - a journey along the Göta river
Trollhätte Canal by motorhome, how does it work and what can you see along the way? This summer...
Street art in Strömstad - Artscape Lighthouse
We checked out street art in Strömstad. Last summer, "Artscape Lighthouse" in Strömstad and...
Öckerö Islands - by campervan in the Gothenburg archipelago
The Öckerö Islands in the Gothenburg archipelago consist of around ten islands, four of which are connected by...
Bohusläns museum in Uddevalla - an interesting visit
Bohusläns museum in Uddevalla is a really nice museum, which tells about the culture and history of the area....
Things to do in Grebbestad - 12 tips for the oyster mecca
What to see and do in Grebbestad? This charming west coast town offers an idyllic setting with...
Things to do in Kungshamn - 11 tips for the resort town of Smögen
What to see and do in Kungshamn? This cosy west coast gem may not be as well known...
Have you visited Tureborgen in Uddevalla?
Have you visited Tureborgen in Uddevalla? Do you like to see old castles and ruins?
Facts about Tureborgen in Uddevalla
- Landscape: Bohuslän
- County: Västra Götaland County
- Municipality: Uddevalla
- Creator: Ture Malmgren
- Master builder: J. A. Widén. T
- Read more: You can also read about Trail of Tears, which is a circular route past the ruins of Tureborg.
The history of Tureborg
- 1899: Tureborgen was built by Ture Malmgren (1851-1922), an eccentric, local politician and founder of the newspaper Bohusläningen.
- 1911: An opening ceremony of the castle was held for invited journalists.
- 1912: The construction of Tureborgen was completed, although it may not have been fully finished.
- 1922: Ture Malmgren passed away. His widow Hilma never visited the castle, and it slowly began to fall into disrepair.
- 1942: The land was bought by August Löfgren, who divided it into smaller plots. However, the plant was not sold.
- The Second World War: Called-up soldiers on standby were left in the castle.
- 1950: Tureborgen burned down on 26 November this year.
- 2000s: Tureborgen became an attraction in Uddevalla.
- 2014: The Tureborgen Society began to take care of the castle.
Solan says:
Do I like castles? Answer no! But I understand that you never seem to get tired of all these stone collections! 😉
20 September 2022 - 8:33
Helena says:
Haha, maybe it's true that we don't get tired 😉 We like history so ruins can be exciting! But we have no more "stone collections" on the to-do list right now (as far as I know), so you can probably expect something else soon 😉.
20 September 2022 - 9:19
bmlarstravellingblog says:
Although we have never heard of this castle, we can recommend the car park at Lindesnäs. When we were there a few years ago, it was free, with a great view of the Uddevalla Bridge, and right next to it is a lovely promenade that we think has even won a prize in that category.
20 September 2022 - 16:17
BP says:
Like Solan's comment! My husband always used to say: "If you have seen one you've seen them all." I agree with him. Normally I like graffiti, but in this particular case it is extremely disturbing.
20 September 2022 - 20:31
Monica says:
I agree with BP, it's so ugly with all the mess and that it is allowed to remain is incomprehensible.
Otherwise, history is interesting and everything that people have achieved with rather unimaginable buildings. But yuck and yuck with the mess.
20 September 2022 - 23:42
Lena+in+Wales+and+Spain says:
Interesting!
I've been there for a very, very long time, so it's nice to come back in the present.
Exciting history too.
21 September 2022 - 9:06