Öland offers castles and fortresses that tell the story of the island's long and fascinating history. Visit the royal Solliden Castle, experience the mighty castle ruins of Borgholm Castle or explore Eketorp Castle – Sweden's only completely excavated and rebuilt ancient castle. Also don't miss Ismantorp Castle and Gråborg, two of Öland's most impressive ancient castles that are always open to visitors.
Eketorp's castle is a completely excavated ancient castle where the wall and houses have been recreated directly on the ancient remains. If you are interested in nature and culture, you will get your fill of the castle's interesting history, archeology and fauna at Alvaret. You will find Eketorp's castle further down in southern Öland with Alvar next to it.
Gråborg is Öland's largest ancient castle and also one of Sweden's largest facilities of its kind. Like Ismanstorp, it is centrally located on the island. The castle was previously called Backaborg, but this name has gradually been transferred to the nearby village of Borg. Next to the castle there is also a medieval chapel ruin.
Borgholm Castle, “the most beautiful ruin in the North”, is one of those buildings that hardly leaves any visitor untouched. Its size is overwhelming and its location fascinating. Rarely have nature and architecture merged into such a unity as here, and this unity was further emphasized when the castle was ravaged by a great fire in 1806 and only the bare forms of the limestone walls remained of the former splendor that once existed.
Today, Borgholm Castle is one of the region's largest tourist destinations and offers a unique journey through Swedish, Nordic and European history spanning over 900 years. The castle is part of our common cultural heritage and is managed by the Swedish Property Board, while Borgholm Municipality is responsible for operations at the site.
Solliden Castle has been the Royal Family's summer paradise for generations. When you visit the castle park, you will soon understand why, here lushness and greenery are combined with winding passages and exciting stories.
A couple to rediscover!
When you walk through the gate to Solliden's castle park, you are met by a very special environment that invites you to stroll and explore. The park surrounds the Royal Family's summer palace and was established over a hundred years ago by the then Queen Victoria.
Read more about Solliden Castle here
In Skäftekärr, near Böda in northern Öland, there is an Iron Age village with about 20 well-preserved stone house foundations distributed on about 10 farms from the period 300-700 AD. In the middle of the Iron Age village are the remains of a nobleman's farm with four house foundations. Right next to it is a reconstruction of an Iron Age house and a fire ruin from a previously reconstructed house.
Ismanstorp's castle is one of Öland's largest ancient castles with a diameter of 127 meters and is surrounded by wetlands in the Mittlandskogen and is both an archaeological enigma and a popular excursion destination. Next to the large, mighty ancient castle, a small red cabin looms that has served as a coffee, juice, Wiener bread cabin, etc. for the castle's visitors for several generations. It is very scenically located.
There are about fifteen ancient castles on Öland from the Iron Age. Excavations at Sandby Castle show that the site has a dramatic and dark history. Around 1,500 years ago, the inhabitants were subjected to a brutal massacre, something that has only been discovered in recent years. Sandby Castle is unique among Öland's castles because it is located right on the shore. Although there is not much visible left today, apart from parts of the collapsed wall, it is a fascinating place to visit.
The finds from the excavations at Sandby Castle are on display at Kalmar County Museum. Find Sandby Castle.
On June 8, 2024, the exhibition Borgarnas ö premiered. Explore the mystery and history behind Öland's ancient castles in this eight-year exhibition series created in collaboration with Stockholm University and Linnaeus University. Kalmar County Museum invites you to an eight-year experience through Öland's fascinating archaeological landscape. Borgarnas ö is a long-term exhibition series that spans eight years, with each year offering new content and different themes. The exhibition offers a unique opportunity to explore Öland's ancient castles and gain a deeper understanding of the life of the islanders during the Iron Age.
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