Gripsholm Castle VI
Gripsholm is one of Sweden's eleven Royal Castles. The story of Gripsholm began when Bo Jonsson Grip had his stronghold built at the end of the 1370s. Grip was one of the most powerful men in the country and controlled estates, castles and land corresponding to two-thirds of the area of Sweden. A hundred years later, the Regent, Sten Sture the Elder, took over Gripsholm. He donated the entire estate to a monastery, "Pax Maria", which gave the nearby town Mariefred its name.
King Gustav Vasa closed the monastery in 1526, and confiscated its property. A new castle was built 1537-1544 on the remains of Grip's stronghold. In the 1590s work began to convert Vasa's castle into a civil Royal residence. In 1783, King Gustav III inaugurated his Palace Theatre. In the late 1800s the Castle was restored in a historicising Vasa style and considered a national monument.
Today Gripsholm is a museum and also houses parts of the state portrait collection 4,500 works.
Gripsholm Castle VI
Gripsholm is one of Sweden's eleven Royal Castles. The story of Gripsholm began when Bo Jonsson Grip had his stronghold built at the end of the 1370s. Grip was one of the most powerful men in the country and controlled estates, castles and land corresponding to two-thirds of the area of Sweden. A hundred years later, the Regent, Sten Sture the Elder, took over Gripsholm. He donated the entire estate to a monastery, "Pax Maria", which gave the nearby town Mariefred its name.
King Gustav Vasa closed the monastery in 1526, and confiscated its property. A new castle was built 1537-1544 on the remains of Grip's stronghold. In the 1590s work began to convert Vasa's castle into a civil Royal residence. In 1783, King Gustav III inaugurated his Palace Theatre. In the late 1800s the Castle was restored in a historicising Vasa style and considered a national monument.
Today Gripsholm is a museum and also houses parts of the state portrait collection 4,500 works.