Vadstena Castle
Encyclopedia
Vadstena Castle is a former Royal Castle in Vadstena
, the province of Östergötland
, Sweden
.
Gustav Vasa in 1545 as a fortress to protect Stockholm
from enemies from the south. The fortress consisted of three smaller stone buildings facing the lake, Vättern
, three 31 meter wide ramparts
, a courtyard
, a moat
and four circular cannons turrets. The original ramparts were torn down in the 19th century and the present ramparts were inaugurated in 1999. The stone buildings later formed the ground floor of the castle.
On August 22, 1552, King Gustav Vasa married his third wife, Katarina Stenbock
, in Vadstena. One of the castle banqueting halls is called The Wedding Hall , although its construction wasn't finished in time for the wedding.
The reconstruction from fortress into a castle
began in the 1550s, when prince
Magnus Vasa became Duke
of Östergötland. Duke Magnus had a mental illness
and was the only son of Gustav Vasa who didn't become king of Sweden. Magnus died in 1595 and is buried in the nearby Abbey Church
.
In 1620 the castle construction was finished and all the kings of the House of Vasa
up till then had led the construction. Since 1620, the castle has been very well-preserved, and is one of Sweden's best examples of Renaissance architecture
.
Vadstena Castle was a royal palace until 1716, when the royal family lost interest in it; after which it became a storage for grain.
and today visitors can also find a Castle Museum with 16th and 17th century furniture, portraits and paintings. During the summer the courtyard plays host to many concerts; both classical and hip hop music.
Vadstena
Vadstena is a locality and the seat of Vadstena Municipality, Östergötland County, Sweden, with 5,612 inhabitants in 2005. From 1974 to 1979 Vadstena was administered as part of Motala Municipality....
, the province of Östergötland
Östergötland
Östergötland, English exonym: East Gothland, is one of the traditional provinces of Sweden in the south of Sweden. It borders Småland, Västergötland, Närke, Södermanland, and the Baltic Sea. In older English literature, one might also encounter the Latinized version, Ostrogothia...
, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
.
History
Vadstena Castle was originally built by KingMonarch
A monarch is the person who heads a monarchy. This is a form of government in which a state or polity is ruled or controlled by an individual who typically inherits the throne by birth and occasionally rules for life or until abdication...
Gustav Vasa in 1545 as a fortress to protect Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
from enemies from the south. The fortress consisted of three smaller stone buildings facing the lake, Vättern
Vättern
Vättern is the second largest lake in Sweden, after Lake Vänern and the sixth largest lake in Europe. It is a long, finger-shaped body of fresh water in south central Sweden to the southeast of Vänern pointing at the tip of Scandinavia....
, three 31 meter wide ramparts
Defensive wall
A defensive wall is a fortification used to protect a city or settlement from potential aggressors. In ancient to modern times, they were used to enclose settlements...
, a courtyard
Courtyard
A court or courtyard is an enclosed area, often a space enclosed by a building that is open to the sky. These areas in inns and public buildings were often the primary meeting places for some purposes, leading to the other meanings of court....
, a moat
Moat
A moat is a deep, broad ditch, either dry or filled with water, that surrounds a castle, other building or town, historically to provide it with a preliminary line of defence. In some places moats evolved into more extensive water defences, including natural or artificial lakes, dams and sluices...
and four circular cannons turrets. The original ramparts were torn down in the 19th century and the present ramparts were inaugurated in 1999. The stone buildings later formed the ground floor of the castle.
On August 22, 1552, King Gustav Vasa married his third wife, Katarina Stenbock
Katarina Stenbock
Catherine Stenbock was the third and last consort of King Gustav I of Sweden, and Queen consort of Sweden between 1552 and 1560...
, in Vadstena. One of the castle banqueting halls is called The Wedding Hall , although its construction wasn't finished in time for the wedding.
The reconstruction from fortress into a castle
Castle
A castle is a type of fortified structure built in Europe and the Middle East during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars debate the scope of the word castle, but usually consider it to be the private fortified residence of a lord or noble...
began in the 1550s, when prince
Prince
Prince is a general term for a ruler, monarch or member of a monarch's or former monarch's family, and is a hereditary title in the nobility of some European states. The feminine equivalent is a princess...
Magnus Vasa became Duke
Duke
A duke or duchess is a member of the nobility, historically of highest rank below the monarch, and historically controlling a duchy...
of Östergötland. Duke Magnus had a mental illness
Mental illness
A mental disorder or mental illness is a psychological or behavioral pattern generally associated with subjective distress or disability that occurs in an individual, and which is not a part of normal development or culture. Such a disorder may consist of a combination of affective, behavioural,...
and was the only son of Gustav Vasa who didn't become king of Sweden. Magnus died in 1595 and is buried in the nearby Abbey Church
Vadstena Abbey
Vadstena Abbey was the motherhouse of the Bridgettine Order, situated on Lake Vättern, in the Diocese of Linköping, Sweden. The abbey started as one of the farms donated by the king, but the town of Vadstena grew up around it...
.
In 1620 the castle construction was finished and all the kings of the House of Vasa
House of Vasa
The House of Vasa was the Royal House of Sweden 1523-1654 and of Poland 1587-1668. It originated from a noble family in Uppland of which several members had high offices during the 15th century....
up till then had led the construction. Since 1620, the castle has been very well-preserved, and is one of Sweden's best examples of Renaissance architecture
Renaissance architecture
Renaissance architecture is the architecture of the period between the early 15th and early 17th centuries in different regions of Europe, demonstrating a conscious revival and development of certain elements of ancient Greek and Roman thought and material culture. Stylistically, Renaissance...
.
Vadstena Castle was a royal palace until 1716, when the royal family lost interest in it; after which it became a storage for grain.
Today
Since 1899, the castle has housed the Provincial ArchivesProvincial Archives
Provincial Archives can be:* Archives of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada* Archives of Ontario, Toronto, Ontario, Canada* Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec, multiple sites* National and Provincial State Archives...
and today visitors can also find a Castle Museum with 16th and 17th century furniture, portraits and paintings. During the summer the courtyard plays host to many concerts; both classical and hip hop music.