Gripsholm Castle

On the Lake Malaren shore, you cannot help but see an amazing castle called Gripsholm. Constructed from stone and brick fortification, this particular Swedish castle was built by King Gustav Vasa, also the founder of the Vasa Dynasty. The construction was completed in the 16th century, which was to be a place of residence and refuge for Vasa’s family should today’s capital city of Stockholm ever fall under attack. Interestingly, the castle was originally built in the 13th century but later rebuilt at its current site.

The castle comes complete with a drawbridge that have massive iron counterweights designed to help raise the bridge quickly, forcing the enemy to turn and run, worry about Lake Malaren, or fall in the moat. The location of the Gripsholm Castle provides extra security, something most castles lacked. Once the drawbridge is crossed, there are massive doors, each connecting to a tunnel, which on the other side is yet another set of doors.

The idea of this design was that if the enemy could get past all of this, then they would still have to fight through the courtyard where defenders were positioned on all sides. From there, they would still have to take another tunnel leading to the inner courtyard, which opens to another set of defenders. In other words, the location and design made this one of the safest castles of all times.

Off the inner courtyard were the apartments of the royal family, all that overlooked the beautiful Lake Malaren. From the top of the turrents, you will be met with a breathtaking view of the lake. Unfortunately, the one downfall to the design of the Gripsholm Castle is that none of the windows offers the convenience of enjoying the lake view, since they are mere portals used to fire on attackers.

The people living within the castle would instead enjoy the view from the windows that looked out over the courtyard, which was designed with large, brick walls. In the cold, damp winter months, the sun would typically rise around 10:30 a.m. and then set around 2:30 p.m. Because the castle was a lovely place, considered cheery and pleasant, various members of the royal family or other nobility were imprisoned by the Swedish kings.

To enter the royal apartments, you would have had to take a staircase located on the wall of the inner courtyard. Most people agree this is an unusual design, more as an afterthought. However, keep in mind that the design of this castle was to make entering difficult so it could have been intended. Today, you can visit the Gripsholm Castle, which has since been turned into a wonderful museum. Inside, you will discover an amazing collection of paintings of various kings, some that date back to the very, beginning of the country.


Last Updated: 10/19/2006 3:14:00 PM

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