Malmohus Castle

Erik of Pomerania built a fortress here in the 1430s and Christian III rebuilt it in the 1530s as a Renaissance castle with round gun towers and a moat, when Skane was part of Denmark and Malmo one of its main towns. It served as a prison for a long stretch afterwards - the Earl of Bothwell, Mary Queen of Scots' third husband, was held here for several years. It now houses the Malmo museums together: art collections, natural history with an aquarium in the basement, and the history of the city. The castle sits in a park with mills, a moat and canal walks that continue round the old town.

Background

The castle stands on Slottsholmen, the Castle islet, and was built between 1526 and 1539, which makes it the oldest Renaissance castle still preserved in the Nordic region. Malmö had a simple fortification as early as the 14th century, and work on the castle's predecessor began in 1434. In 1525 Frederick I ordered Albert Jepsen Ravensberg, his lord of Malmö Fortress, to build a new castle, and in 1530 Ravensberg was paid 5690 marks for four years of work. Between 1537 and 1540 Christian III added a moat and ramparts, anchored by four big brick towers at the corners. The future Frederick II lived here during 1554-1559, and Frederick III stayed briefly in 1652.

Source: Wikipedia, "Malmö Castle"

What you'll find

• Round gun towers and a moat - the 1530s Danish rebuilding.
• Several museums in one - art, natural history, city history.
• An aquarium and terrarium - in the basement floors.
• Castle park and canal walks - around the whole site.

When to go

Year round; the museums close on some Mondays. Two to three hours.

Good to know

The mix of museums under one roof feels disjointed. The aquarium is dated. English labelling is uneven. The castle interior has been much altered by museum fit-out.

Nearby

Malmo old town is east; Ribersborg and the Western Harbour are north.

Key facts