Kalmar Castle

Kalmar Castle () is a castle in the city Kalmar in the province of Småland in Sweden.

History

During the twelfth century a round defensive tower was built on Kalmarsund and a harbour constructed. At the end of the thirteenth century King Magnus Ladulås had a new fortress built with a curtain wall, round corner towers and two square gatehouses surrounding the original tower. Located near the site of Kalmar's medieval harbor, it has played a crucial part in Swedish history since its initial construction as a fortified tower in the 12th century.

One of the most significant political events in Scandinavia took place at Kalmar Castle in 1397, where the Kalmar Union was formed - a union of Denmark, Norway and Sweden (including Finland), organized by Queen Margaret I of Denmark. During the Swedish rebellion against Denmark in 1520, the fortress was commanded by Anna Eriksdotter (Bielke), who at the death of her spouse, Johan Månsson Natt och Dag, in the middle of the rebellion, took control over his fiefs and defended Kalmar against Denmark.The fortress was improved during the 16th century under the direction of King Gustav I and his sons King Eric XIV and Johan III who turned the medieval fortress into a castle fit for a renaissance king. Upon ascending the throne, King Johan III of Sweden initiated an extensive reconstruction program for the castle, beginning almost immediately after his coronation. In 1574, the architect Domenicus Pahr commenced the renovation work. As part of the project, all towers, except for three—the southeastern, northeastern, and "Kuretornet"—were modified to achieve a uniform height, with their roofs covered in lead. Additionally, all windows were reshaped into squares, and the original roofing was replaced with a gable roof covered in clay. The king also ordered the facade to be painted white and the roof red. Following the completion of the castle's exterior, an interior renovation commenced in 1587, two years after Johan III's visit to the castle. Several rooms were remodeled, including "Gamla kungamaket" (the old throne room), "Rutsalen" (the chequer hall), and "Grå salen" (the grey hall). The "Nya kungamaket" (the new throne hall) was renovated to its present-day interior, incorporating decorative elements such as 2,200 gold-painted leaves.

The garrison was loyal to King Sigismund during the rebellion by Duke Charles, and continued to hold out even after Sigismund was decisively defeated at the Battle of Stångebro. The castle was therefore besieged by the Duke's forces in March 1599, and was compelled to surrender on 12 May. The three commanders were subsequently killed, along with nineteen other members of the garrison, in a mass execution traditionally known as the Second Kalmar Bloodbath.

Kalmar Castle suffered heavy damage during the Siege of Kalmar, the main engagement and namesake of the Kalmar War (1611-3), and was badly damaged by a fire in 1642. Repairs were begun, but from the end of the seventeenth century the castle was allowed to fall into disrepair.

Restoration

In 1856, architect Fredrik Wilhelm Scholander (1816–1881) initiated reconstruction/restoration work at Kalmar Castle. His pupil Helgo Zettervall continued restoring Kalmar Castle in the 1880s. Architect Carl Möller drew up the plans and other documents. The work began in 1885 and by 1891 the castle had gained the silhouette it bears today. In 1919 Professor Martin Olsson was charged with the continuing restoration of earthworks, the moat, the bridge and the drawbridge. Work continued until 1941, when the castle was once more surrounded by water. Today, it is one of Sweden's best preserved renaissance castles and is open to the public.

SVT's Luciamorgon in December 2023 was celebrated inside the castle.

References

Other sources

*Kaufmann, J.E. Kaufmann & H.W. ''The Medieval Fortress: Castles, Forts and Walled Cities of the Middle Ages'' (MA: Da Capo Press, 2004)

Gallery

File:Кальмарский замок, общий вид.jpg, General view
File:Кальмарский замок, бастион.jpg, Bastion
File:Кальмарский замок, главный вход.jpg, Main entrance
File:Кальмарский замок катакомбы.jpg, Indoor
File:Кальмарский замок вечером.jpg, In the evening
File:Кальмарский замок вид с моря.jpg, View from sea
File:Kalmar slott borggård fasad och trappa.jpg, Kalmar castle courtyard facade and stairs

External links

Official visitor site (sv)Barometern Multimedia Tour of Kalmar CastleVirtual tour of the CastleThe Association of Castles and Museums around the Baltic Sea

{{Coord, 56.658, N, 16.355, E, type:landmark, display=title

Castles in Kalmar County
Royal residences in Sweden
Museums in Kalmar County
Historic house museums in Sweden
Kalmar