Kalmar Castle

Kalmar Castle is one of the best-preserved Renaissance castles in Northern Europe, a round-towered fortress on the Baltic shore that guarded the medieval border and the gateway to Oland. In 1397 the Kalmar Union that briefly joined Denmark, Norway and Sweden under one crown was sealed here, and its moated walls and restored rooms tell that turbulent story.

Background

A tower stood on the site by around 1180, and the castle's old nickname, Rikets nyckel, means the Key to the Kingdom. Late in the thirteenth century King Magnus Ladulås enclosed the tower in a new fortress with a curtain wall, two square gatehouses and round towers at the corners. Gustav I and his sons Eric XIV and Johan III turned it into a Renaissance residence, with the architect Domenicus Pahr starting work in 1574 and the interiors following from 1587. The new throne hall, Nya kungamaket, carries 2,200 gold-painted leaves. A fire badly damaged the castle in 1642. Restoration began under Fredrik Wilhelm Scholander in 1856, and between 1885 and 1891 Helgo Zettervall gave it its present outline.

Source: Wikipedia, "Kalmar Castle"

The main sights

• The round towers and moat - the classic Renaissance fortress silhouette on the shore.
• The state rooms - the restored king's chamber and Renaissance interiors.
• The union history - the story of the Kalmar Union sealed here.
• The dungeons and well - the darker depths of the castle.

When to go

Summer for the full castle, exhibitions and events; it is open in the warm season with reduced access outside. A clear day suits the moated shore setting.

Practical notes

It is a castle museum with restored rather than untouched interiors, so it reads as careful heritage. Opening is strongest in summer, so check outside the season. It is a compact visit of an hour or two.

Nearby

The Oland Bridge and island are alongside; the Smaland glassworks lie inland.

Key facts