Gripsholm Castle ( sv, Gripsholms slott) is a
castle
A castle is a type of fortified structure built during the Middle Ages predominantly by the nobility or royalty and by military orders. Scholars debate the scope of the word ''castle'', but usually consider it to be the private fortified r ...
in
Mariefred,
Södermanland
Södermanland ( or ), locally Sörmland, sometimes referred to under its Latin form ''Sudermannia'' or ''Sudermania'', is a historical province or ''landskap'' on the south eastern coast of Sweden. It borders Östergötland, Närke, Västm ...
,
Sweden
Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden,The United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names states that the country's formal name is the Kingdom of SwedenUNGEGN World Geographical Names, Sweden./ref> is a Nordic countries, Nordic c ...
. It is located by lake
Mälaren
Mälaren ( , , or ), historically referred to as Lake Malar in English, is the third-largest freshwater lake in Sweden (after Vänern and Vättern). Its area is 1,140 km2 and its greatest depth is 64 m. Mälaren spans 120 kilometers from e ...
in south central Sweden, in the municipality of
Strängnäs
Strängnäs is a locality and the seat of Strängnäs Municipality, Södermanland County, Sweden with 15,363 inhabitants in 2020. It is located by Lake Mälaren and is the episcopal see of the Diocese of Strängnäs, one of the thirteen dioceses ...
, about 60 km west of
Stockholm
Stockholm () is the capital and largest city of Sweden as well as the largest urban area in Scandinavia. Approximately 980,000 people live in the municipality, with 1.6 million in the urban area, and 2.4 million in the metropo ...
. Since
Gustav Vasa
Gustav I, born Gustav Eriksson of the Vasa noble family and later known as Gustav Vasa (12 May 1496 – 29 September 1560), was King of Sweden from 1523 until his death in 1560, previously self-recognised Protector of the Realm ('' Riksför ...
, Gripsholm has belonged to the
Swedish Royal Family
The Swedish royal family ( sv, Svenska kungafamiljen) since 1818 has consisted of members of the Swedish Royal House of Bernadotte, closely related to the King of Sweden. Today those who are recognized by the government are entitled to royal ti ...
and was used as one of their residences until the 18th century. It is now a
museum
A museum ( ; plural museums or, rarely, musea) is a building or institution that cares for and displays a collection of artifacts and other objects of artistic, cultural, historical, or scientific importance. Many public museums make th ...
, but is still considered to be a palace at the disposal of the King and as such it is part of the
Crown palaces in Sweden
The Royal palaces in the Kingdom of Sweden are the following:
*The Royal Palace in Stockholm
* Drottningholm Palace
*Chinese Pavilion at Drottningholm
*Gripsholm Castle, Mariefred
*Gustav III's Pavilion
* Haga Palace
*Rosendal Palace
* Rosersberg ...
.
History
Early history
A
fortress
A fortification is a military construction or building designed for the defense of territories in warfare, and is also used to establish rule in a region during peacetime. The term is derived from Latin ''fortis'' ("strong") and ''facere'' ...
was built at the location in the 1370s by
Bo Jonsson Grip
Bo Jonsson (Grip) (early 1330s – 20 August 1386) was head of the royal council and marshal under the regency of Magnus IV of Sweden. Also in the council was his friend and colleague, Karl Ulfsson av Ulvåsa, eldest son of Saint Birgitta. Fro ...
. It was sold to
Queen Margaret the I in 1404, and remained the property of the crown until it was acquired by
Sten Sture the Elder, the Regent, in 1472 by an exchange of landed properties, whereby it became private, hereditary land of allodial status, to belong to the ownership of Regent Steen's own family. Steen donated the place for use as a
Carthusian
The Carthusians, also known as the Order of Carthusians ( la, Ordo Cartusiensis), are a Latin enclosed religious order of the Catholic Church. The order was founded by Bruno of Cologne in 1084 and includes both monks and nuns. The order has i ...
monastery, or charterhouse, in 1498, and the Gripsholm estate functioned as
Mariefred Charterhouse
Mariefred Charterhouse, sometimes referred to as Gripsholm Charterhouse ( sv, Mariefreds kloster, la, Monasterium Pacis Mariae or ''Pax Mariae''), was a Carthusian monastery, or charterhouse, in the present town of Mariefred in Södermanland, S ...
for almost 30 years.
In 1526, the monastery was dissolved by King
Gustav I
Gustav I, born Gustav Eriksson of the Vasa noble family and later known as Gustav Vasa (12 May 1496 – 29 September 1560), was King of Sweden from 1523 until his death in 1560, previously self-recognised Protector of the Realm ('' Riksföre ...
during the
Swedish Reformation
The Reformation in Sweden is generally regarded as having begun in 1527 during the reign of King Gustav I of Sweden, but the process was slow and did not end definitively until the Uppsala Synod of 1593 and the following War against Sigismund, w ...
, and the estate was returned to its hereditary owner, the heir of the late Sten Sture the Old. It is well-recorded that Gripsholm was a part of the so-called
Kungens Arv och Eget in registers of the 1500s and the 1600s.
The King tore the monastic buildings and the old castle down, and built a fortified castle with circular corner towers and a wall, for defensive purposes. Of the original medieval fortress, only the façade of a wall remains.
As private family inheritance from the Regent Steen Sture the Old, the royal Vasa family held Gripsholm in high regard, as reminder of the royals' descent from earlier rulers, and used the place frequently.
Royal residence
King Gustav had it constructed to serve as one of the main residences of the royal house. The castle was constructed between 1537 and 1545, and often served as the residence of the royal court: during the
Dacke War, for example, the royal children were housed there.
Between 1563 and 1567,
King Eric XIV
Eric XIV ( sv, Erik XIV; 13 December 153326 February 1577) was King of Sweden from 1560 until he was deposed in 1569. Eric XIV was the eldest son of Gustav I (1496–1560) and Catherine of Saxe-Lauenburg (1513–1535). He was also ruler of Es ...
imprisoned his brother
John
John is a common English name and surname:
* John (given name)
* John (surname)
John may also refer to:
New Testament
Works
* Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John
* First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John
* Secon ...
and his consort
Catherine Jagiellon
Catherine Jagiellon ( pl, Katarzyna Jagiellonka; sv, Katarina Jagellonica, Lithuanian: ''Kotryna Jogailatė''; 1 November 1526 – 16 September 1583) was a Polish princess and Queen of Sweden as the first wife of King John III. As such, she ...
in the castle. John's son
Sigismund III Vasa
Sigismund III Vasa ( pl, Zygmunt III Waza, lt, Žygimantas Vaza; 20 June 1566 – 30 April 1632
N.S.) was King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1587 to 1632 and, as Sigismund, King of Sweden and Grand Duke of Finland from 1592 to ...
, later the King of
Poland
Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It is divided into 16 administrative provinces called voivodeships, covering an area of . Poland has a population of over 38 million and is the fifth-most populou ...
and Sweden, was born in the castle on June 20, 1566. When Eric XIV was deposed by John, Gripsholm Castle came to serve as one of the castles were John had Eric imprisoned. The deposed king Eric was kept prisoner here from 1571 until 1573.
The royal family continued to use Gripsholm Castle during the 17th century. It was the dower residence of the widow of
Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden
Gustavus Adolphus (9 December Old_Style_and_New_Style_dates">N.S_19_December.html" ;"title="Old_Style_and_New_Style_dates.html" ;"title="/nowiki>Old Style and New Style dates">N.S 19 December">Old_Style_and_New_Style_dates.html" ;"title="/now ...
,
Maria Eleonora of Brandenburg, who lived here from 1636 until 1640. Between 1654 and 1715, Gripsholm Castle was a part of the dower granted to
queen Hedvig Eleonora, who often lived there with her court even before being widowed in 1660, and who rebuilt and expanded it in several ways. After her death, however, the Castle was abandoned by the court for some time. For a period during the 18th century, it was used as a prison.
In 1773, Gripsholm Castle was renovated by King
Gustav III
Gustav III (29 March 1792), also called ''Gustavus III'', was King of Sweden from 1771 until his assassination in 1792. He was the eldest son of Adolf Frederick of Sweden and Queen Louisa Ulrika of Prussia.
Gustav was a vocal opponent of what ...
, on behalf of his consort
Sophia Magdalena. The castle was frequently used by the royal court during the reign of Gustav III, who favored it and spent several months there every year. The perhaps most famous addition to the castle during his reign was a theater, which was added in one of the castle towers. It was the stage for both the
amateur theatre
Amateur theatre, also known as amateur dramatics, is theatre performed by amateur actors and singers. Amateur theatre groups may stage plays, revues, musicals, light opera, pantomime or variety shows, and do so for the social activity as well as f ...
of the royal court as well as
The French Theater of Gustav III in 1781–1792.
After the
Coup of 1809,
Gustav IV Adolf and his family were also imprisoned in the castle after his deposition from the throne. He had to sign his abdication document there.
Museum
In 1822, the building came to host the
National Portrait Gallery (Sweden), which was placed under the supervision of the ''
Nationalmuseum
Nationalmuseum (or National Museum of Fine Arts) is the national gallery of Sweden, located on the peninsula Blasieholmen in central Stockholm.
The museum's operations stretches far beyond the borders of Blasieholmen, the nationalmuseum manage ...
'' in the 1860s.
Between 1889 and 1894, the castle underwent a heavy and controversial
restoration by the architect
Fredrik Lilljekvist during which many of the 17th and 18th-century alterations were removed. The largest change was the addition of a third floor; the planned demolition of a wing did not take place.
Now the castle is a museum which is open to the public, containing paintings and works of art. Part of the castle houses the
National Portrait Gallery (''Statens porträttsamlingar''), one of the oldest portrait collections in the world.
The museum includes a
badly-stuffed lion which has become infamous in recent years.
Image gallery
File:Suecia 2-008 ; Arx Gripsholm.jpg, In the ''Suecia Antiqua et Hodierna
''Suecia Antiqua et Hodierna'' ("Ancient and Modern Sweden") is a collection of engravings collected by Erik Dahlbergh during the middle of the 17th century. ''Suecia Antiqua et Hodierna'' can be described as a grand vision of Sweden during its p ...
'', 1700
File:Gripsholms slott, litografi av Carl Johan Billmark (1850).JPG, Gripsholm by C.J. Billmark, 1850
File:Gripsholm Castle 2009 (2).jpg, The inner courtyard
File:Galten och Suggan Gripsholm 18 sept 2009.jpg, Russian cannons from the end of the 16th century
File:Gripsholm 1845. Fritz von Dardel, 1845 - Nordiska Museet - NMA.0037317.jpg, Drawing of Gripsholm Castle by Fritz von Dardel
Fritz Ludvig von Dardel (24 March 1817 – 27 May 1901) was a Swedish diarist, illustrator and early comics artist. He was a courtier, and is known for his diary and illustrations depicting the life of the Swedish court in the mid-19th century ...
, 1845
File:Ferdinand Richardt 1869,58x87 Gripsholm.jpg, painting by Ferdinand Richardt, 1869
File:Gripsholm-Mariefred - KMB - 16000700012135.jpg, Aerial photograph by Jan Norman, 26 September 1997
File:Gripsholm av Ferdinand Boberg - Sörmlands museum - SLM5739.jpg, Drawing by Ferdinand Boberg
Gustaf Ferdinand Boberg (11 April 1860 – 7 May 1946) was a Swedish architect.
Biography
Boberg was born in Falun. He became one of the most productive and prominent architects of Stockholm around the turn of the 20th century. Among his most ...
, between 1915 and 1924
References
Other sources
* Eriksson, Eva ''Den moderna stadens födelse: svensk arkitektur 1890–1920'' (Ordfront, 1990)
Gripsholm at the Nationalmuseum* Legnér, Mattias (25 February 2013). ”Kakelugnen värmde under lilla istiden”.
Svenska Dagbladet
''Svenska Dagbladet'' (, "The Swedish Daily News"), abbreviated SvD, is a daily newspaper published in Stockholm, Sweden.
History and profile
The first issue of ''Svenska Dagbladet'' appeared on 18 December 1884. During the beginning of the ...
.
* Strömbom, Sixten ''Gripsholm: slottet och dess samlingar 1537–1937'' (Nordisk rotogravyr, Stockholm: 1937)
Svensk_historia_[microform)_enligt_samtida_skildringar*_Tucholsky,_Kurt:_''
Svensk_historia_[microform)_enligt_samtida_skildringar*_Tucholsky,_Kurt:_''Schloss_Gripsholm">icroform)_enligt_samtida_skildringar">Svensk_historia_[microform)_enligt_samtida_skildringar
*_Tucholsky,_Kurt:_''Schloss_Gripsholm''_(1931_novel).
*_Westlund,_Per-Olof,_Gripsholm_under_Vasatiden,_1949,_Stockholm.
__External_links_
Official_website
The_National_Portrait_Collection
{{Coord.html" ;"title="Schloss_Gripsholm.html" ;"title="icroform) enligt samtida skildringar">Svensk historia icroform)_enligt_samtida_skildringar">Svensk_historia_[microform)_enligt_samtida_skildringar
*_Tucholsky,_Kurt:_''Schloss_Gripsholm''_(1931_novel).
*_Westlund,_Per-Olof,_Gripsholm_under_Vasatiden,_1949,_Stockholm.
__External_links_
Official_website
The_National_Portrait_Collection
{{Coord">59.html" ;"title="icroform) enligt samtida skildringar
* Tucholsky, Kurt: ''Schloss Gripsholm">icroform) enligt samtida skildringar">Svensk historia Official_website
The_National_Portrait_Collection
{{Coord">59">15.html" ;"title="icroform) enligt samtida skildringar
* Tucholsky, Kurt: ''Schloss Gripsholm'' (1931 novel).
* Westlund, Per-Olof, Gripsholm under Vasatiden, 1949, Stockholm.
External links
Official website
The National Portrait Collection
{{Coord">59">15">22, N, 17, 13, 09, E, region:SE_type:landmark_source:dewiki, display=title
Castles in Södermanland County
Historic house museums in Sweden
Museums in Södermanland County">Crown palaces in Sweden
Castles in Södermanland County
Historic house museums in Sweden
Museums in Södermanland County
Brick buildings and structures
Palace theatres