Runsa is an estate located in

Upplands Väsby Municipality Upplands Väsby Municipality (''Upplands Väsby kommun'') is a municipality in Stockholm County in east central Sweden, with a population of 38,963 (2010). Its seat is located in the town of Upplands Väsby. The municipality was created in conne ...

Stockholm County Stockholm County ( sv, Stockholms län, link=no ) is a county or '' län'' (in Swedish) on the Baltic Sea coast of Sweden. It borders Uppsala County and Södermanland County. It also borders Mälaren and the Baltic Sea. The city of Stoc ...

, Sweden. It the site of the ruins of an ancient

fortification A fortification is a military construction or building designed for the defense of territories in warfare, and is also used to establish rule in a region during peacetime. The term is derived from Latin ''fortis'' ("strong") and ''facere'' ...

(''Runsa fornborg'') and of Runsa Manor (''Runsa slott'') which was built in the middle of the 17th century.

History

Runsa was the site of a prehistoric hill fortification. Runsa was strategically situated on a 30 metre high rock promontory in Lake Mälaren, with views towards

Sigtuna Sigtuna () is a locality situated in Sigtuna Municipality, Stockholm County, Sweden with 8,444 inhabitants in 2010. It is the namesake of the municipality even though the seat is in Märsta. Sigtuna is for historical reasons often still ref ...

. The ancient fort covers an area of 200 x 100 metres. The site was excavated first in 1902 with the participation of the then Crown Prince, later King

Gustaf VI Adolf of Sweden Gustav, Gustaf or Gustave may refer to: *Gustav (name), a male given name of Old Swedish origin Art, entertainment, and media * ''Primeval'' (film), a 2007 American horror film * ''Gustav'' (film series), a Hungarian series of animated short cart ...

. It was later investigated by archaeologists in 1992. Below the ruins is a stone ship burial area (''Runsa skeppssättning''; sv) with some 30 graves. The burial ground is made up of round stones estimated to date from 400 - 500 AD. It is 56 feet from the bow to the stern and is one of the best known stone circles in Sweden. Runsa Manor (''Runsa slott'') is surrounded by these ruins and other monuments. In 1313 the estate was sold to the

Archbishop of Uppsala The Archbishop of Uppsala (spelled Upsala until the early 20th century) has been the primate of Sweden in an unbroken succession since 1164, first during the Catholic era, and from the 1530s and onward under the Lutheran church. Historical ove ...

. It was suppressed by King

Gustav Vasa Gustav I, born Gustav Eriksson of the Vasa noble family and later known as Gustav Vasa (12 May 1496 – 29 September 1560), was King of Sweden from 1523 until his death in 1560, previously self-recognised Protector of the Realm ('' Riksför ...

, but was sold to Lord High Constable

Jacob De la Gardie Field Marshal and Count Jacob Pontusson De la Gardie ( Reval, 20 June 1583 – Stockholm, 22 August 1652) was a statesman and a soldier of the Swedish Empire, and a Marshal from 1620 onward. He was Privy Councilor from 1613 onward, Govern ...

(1583–1652). The main building dates from the mid-1600s and was most possibly built by his widow

Ebba Brahe Ebba Magnusdotter Brahe (16 March 1596 – 5 January 1674) was a Swedish countess, landowner, and courtier. She is foremost known for being the love object of King Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden, and because he wished to marry her prior to his marria ...

(1596-1674). She willed the estate to her daughter Christina Catharine De la Gardie (1632–1704), wife of Gustaf Otto Stenbock (1614–1685).

References

External links

Guided tours of the ancient castle Runsa
Castles in Stockholm County Buildings and structures in Stockholm County {{Sweden-castle-stub

History

See also

References

External links