Strömsholm Castle

Castle on the site of 1550s fortress

At the west end of Lake Mälaren, on an island in the Kolbäcksån river, King Gustav Vasa had a fortress built in the 1550s. This later provided the basis for the present Strömsholm Castle, built 1669-74 for Queen Hedvig Eleonora to a design by Nicodemus Tessin the Elder.

The castle consists of a central building framed by four square corner towers. On the park side, there is a large, domed central tower. Around 20 estate buildings were erected at the same time as the castle, and the first stages of a park in the French baroque style were laid out.

The wedding-present castle

Work on the interiors came to a halt when the building's fabric was complete. Not until the 1730s was the first phase of interior work carried out, including a castle chapel in the attic designed by Carl Hårleman. In 1766 the heir to the Swedish throne, later King Gustav III, married Princess Sofia Magdalena of Denmark. As a wedding present from the Swedish parliament, she was given Strömsholm Castle. Extensive interior works now commenced, under the architectural direction of Carl Fredrik Adelcrantz, and continued into the 19th century.

In 1985 the castle underwent major renovation of its façade. Over the years, the exterior had undergone various alterations, but the plasterwork as originally applied in the 1670s was largely intact. The roof was covered with tar shingles until the 19th century, when these were replaced with tin.

1990s refurbishment

In 1993, the National Property Board assumed responsibility for Strömsholm Castle and its surroundings. The castle was restored in stages during the 1990s. The disposition of the rooms in the royal apartments was restored, and the 18th-century furnishings were placed in the correct context. One of the most interesting features of the restoration was the reproduction of the 1760s wallpaper, the original of which was found in isolation on an attic beam in one of the houses on the estate. Old linen towels were transformed into royal wallpaper.

Strömsholm is one of eight royal castles managed by the National Property Board. The castle is open to the public, mainly in spring and summer, but also some days throughout the year.

Externa länkar

• The Royal Court of Sweden/Strömsholm Castle
• Mälarslott