The word in Swedish for castles is slott.
It’s the same word that describes fortresses and palaces.
Altogether, about 229 slotts are existing in some form or another today.
21 of those are in ruins.
That leaves an overwhelming majority of which are private residences, government offices, or museums.
Thankfully, the preservation of castles means much of Swedish history is saved through the walls of historical buildings.
These castles span from the 13th century to the 20th.
Now, we’re going on a tour of the most scenic of all the slots in Sweden.
10 Most Beautiful Castles in Sweden
1. Trolleholm Castle
In southern Sweden, there is a castle that has been around since 1424.
We know it as Trolleholm Castle today, but it wasn’t always called such, at least not commonly.
During the Renaissance, Trolleholm was called Katty Abbeville and by the 18th century, it was known as Erik Holm.
The first documented owners of the property were the Thott family for 150 years, starting in the mid-1500s.
Next were the Trolles, who ended up being the namesake.
If you imagine a gray structure as the ideal fairytale castle, this one is not far off.
The big difference would be that the castle is more on the brick side, as opposed to stone.
That color contrast is complimentary to the blue sky and abundance of greenery surrounding the building.
The green tops on the towers help blend in with nature.
2. Drottningholm Palace
This castle may be the private residence of the Swedish royal family since 1981, but it had centuries of life beforehand.
Drottningholm Palace has always been something of a royal affair, though.
This sprawling estate has been sitting on Lovön Island since just before the turn of the 17th century.
Originally, Drottningholm was the idea of John III, who wanted it for his wife, Catherine Jagiellon.
The 1580 structure burned down just after Christmas in 1661.
After the rebuild was completed in 1699, Drottningholm became the summer home of the royal family.
Now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, this palace is truly one of a kind.
Pulling up front, you see a long, beige facade that almost seems more like a government building than a residence.
That’s just the beginning, however.
Aside from the walk-through history inside, there are acres of immaculate gardens in the back.
3. Gripsholm Castle
About an hour outside of Stockholm is the vision of Bo Jonsson Grip.
Gripsholm Castle was put together in the 1370s, much to the awe and wonder of the locals.
The legend of its beauty spread to Queen Margaret I, who bought it in 1404.
It stayed a royal palace until 1498 when it was absorbed as part of the Catholic church.
Eventually, it would make its way back into the royal good graces when King Gustav I dissolved the monastery in 1526.
Of course, the dissolution included the buildings.
A rebuild and upgrade came in the years following.
Gripsholm was more than a home, though.
In the early 1800s, Gustav IV Adolph and his family were kept here as prisoners.
The king abdicated the throne from this castle.
Since 1822, Gripsholm Castle has been the National Portrait Gallery and museum.
4. Bogesund Castle
Once a manor home, Bogesund Castle is now part of the Bogesundslandet Nature Reserve in the metro area of Stockholm.
Built by Per Brahe the Younger in the mid-1600s, the castle has been added on to and rebuilt a multitude of times.
Upon first look, Bogesund Castle is a statement piece.
It sort of gives off hotel vibes, as opposed to a home.
That’s mainly because it’s immediately tall and is visually meant for distinction.
There are five levels and a tower on each side.
The top window has red stripes for a touch of whimsy.
It gives the illusion of a long structure behind it, but the castle is more like a waffle when you see it from the side.
Of course, a waffle field with immaculate design and spacious rooms.
5. Hjularöd Castle
If you didn’t know better, you might mistake Hjularöd Castle for Gripsholm Castle.
They both have notable red brick walls and green-roofed towers.
However, this manor house is for one family only.
Mentioned as early as 1391, Hjularöd was added to over the centuries.
The main part of the castle wasn’t put into place until the late 1800s.
Isak Gustaf Glason was the architect responsible for what we see today.
He was most moved by medieval castles in France and tried to bring some of that essence to Sweden.
The Bergengren family has been in possession of the estate for the last century.
But that didn’t keep it from being featured in a late 90s Christmas production.
6. Trolle-Ljungby Castle
Located in Scania, this castle was originally in Denmark‘s territory.
For the better part of two centuries, a Danish noble family owned Trolle-Ljungby Castle.
By 1460, another Dane had taken ownership.
Jens Holgersen Ulfstand was not only a politician but he was also an admiral, governor, and architectural visionary.
Less than two centuries later, the castle was going through a Renaissance of its own.
Extensive reconstruction and additions were made to the structures that existed on the land.
What we see today was more or less in place by 1680.
Plus or minus a few bullet holes from the Scanian War.
The private home has been in the same Trolle-Wachtmeister family since 1850, where it underwent internal renovations.
7. Kalmar Castle
To defend the harbor of Kalmar, a tower was erected in the 1100s.
Two hundred years later, King Magnus Ladulås added a fortress to the tower.
Thus, the era of Kalmar Castle began.
Since its humble beginnings as a tower, this estate has been making history.
Little did they know when it was first built that this defensive tower would end up hosting the Kalmar Union.
In 1397, Queen Margaret I of Denmark brought together her country, Norway, Sweden, and Finland as one Scandanavia.
In 1520, Kalmar Castle was in the news again as part of the Swedish rebellion.
As a reward, King Gustav I turned the fortress into a Renaissance castle.
The last major restoration took place between WWI and WWII. Kalmar Castle is now open for tours.
8. Teleborgs Castle
Without researching Teleborg Castle, it wouldn’t be hard to believe that it fits right in with all the other castles on the list.
While it is beautiful and looks medieval, this mansion is quite young, comparatively.
Constructed in 1900, Teleborg was meant to be a throwback by the couple who set out to see it come to life.
By the 1920s, the castle was a school for girls.
In 1964, the Växjö city government purchased the home and surrounding land.
Not only is it being preserved, but it’s also a source of revenue.
Today, you can have your wedding here, along with any other big event.
9. Ekenäs Castle
Sitting on a ledge overlooking the land is a castle that takes crossing a bridge to get to.
Ekenäs Castle started as a medieval fortress in the 1300s that evolved into a Baroque castle two centuries later.
We may not know who built it but we do know that the earliest ownership was by a Swedish count named Svante Stensson Sture.
He actually became a count because the new King Erik XIV was trying to win favor with the top three noble families.
Over the following centuries, Ekenäs changed hands many times.
It went back into service as a fortress during WWII and it was turned into a military office.
Unfortunately, that opened the castle to thievery.
In the 70s, the government named Ekenäs Castle a site of cultural importance for the country.
It was then that the restoration began.
The castle is open each summer and the annual Medieval Festival.
10. Läckö Castle
Setting up shop on the beach of Lake Vänern is Läckö Castle.
A bishop saw the spot and thought it should be fortified.
Just before 1300, a fort was put into place.
By the late 1400s, a fire had taken it down and Läckö was rebuilt and expanded upon.
During the Reformation, the church lost ownership.
This castle was swooped up by the monarchy.
Läckö’s deed was passed around several more times throughout the centuries until 1993.
At that time, Läckö Castle became part of the National Property Board.
The Foundation of Läckö Castle and the National Museum of the Fine Arts was born.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What's the oldest castle in Sweden?
In the southern half of Sweden, in the town of Mariefred, sits the oldest active castle in the country.
Gripsholm Castle was only 28 years from taking two centuries to finish, but the first stone was laid in 1537.
Interestingly, as many years as this castle has on it, Gripsholm was built on the site of a similar structure from the late 1300s.
To be fair, the oldest we have knowledge of is Ismantorps Fornborg, a second-century fortress that is currently in ruins.
Why are there castles in Sweden?
In the 1200s, King Valdemar was inspired by the castles being built in other countries across Europe.
In order to increase security throughout the kingdom, these Anglo-Norman and German castles seemed to have had the best blueprints to hold outsiders back.
The trend of heavily fortified structures continued for centuries.
One of the last was built in 1920 as a private residence.
Where does the Swedish royal family live?
Since the dawn of the 80s, the family has lived in Drottningholm Palace in Stockholm.
Before the big move, the royals lived at the fittingly titled Royal Palace.
While it is no longer the primary residence, the Royal Palace is still listed as the official residence.
There are many events in the name of Sweden that take place there.
This is the same place the royal court is stationed.
What's the biggest castle in Sweden?
The oldest castle is also the biggest.
They knocked castle-making out of the ballpark during the 16th century, apparently.
Gripsholm Castle has 150 rooms, four towers, two long corridors that connect to the shorter half of the castle, two courtyards, and so much land.
A tour of the main building takes about 45 minutes.
Out of all castles in Sweden, my personal favorite would have to be Gripsholm Castle due to its rich history, stunning red brick walls, and beautiful gardens.