Orebro Castle

A defensive tower stood on this island in the thirteenth century, guarding the crossing where the roads met, and Gustav Vasa's sons turned it into a Renaissance castle in the later sixteenth century - the four round corner towers and the rendered walls date from then. The nineteenth century added the stepped gables and the general medieval look, which is romantic restoration rather than original. The 1810 riksdag that elected Bernadotte as heir to the Swedish throne met in this building. It now holds the county administration and a museum, with the courtyard open to walk through and the interiors shown on tours.

What you actually see

• Four round corner towers - the sixteenth-century Renaissance work.
• Stepped gables added in the 1800s - romantic restoration.
• The 1810 riksdag hall - where Bernadotte was elected heir.
• An island site in mid-town - the river running round it.

When to go

Year round; tours are more frequent in summer. An hour and a half.

Honest expectations

Most interiors are working offices and closed. Tours in English run on a limited schedule. The romantic exterior is not what the sixteenth century built. It is a short visit.

Nearby

Wadkoping open-air museum is downstream; Hjalmaren lake is east.