Södertuna is a medieval castle located on a small island in Lake Frösjön in Gnesta Municipality, Sweden. It dates to the 14th century and is now a luxury hotel and conference center. The main building is of medieval origin, but was updated during the 17th century and the late 18th century. The last major renovation was in 1892.
It has belonged to members of several families: Sparre, Lovisin, Palmenfelt, Ehrensvard, Wachtmeister, Adelborg, and von Eckermann.
The castle and the park were split off in 1985 by the von Eckermann family. The new owners, together with an additional couple of Norwegian investors, made the palace into a hotel and conference center, which was inaugurated in 1986 by Princess Christina. In 2007 the castle was sold to the Åström family, which also operates Dufweholms Manor Inn and Gripsholm.
References:The Jan Hus Memorial stands at one end of Old Town Square. The huge monument depicts victorious Hussite warriors and Protestants who were forced into exile 200 years after Hus, and a young mother who symbolises national rebirth. The monument was so large that the sculptor designed and built his own villa and studio where the work could be carried out. It was unveiled in 1915 to commemorate the 500th anniversary of Jan Hus' martyrdom. The memorial was designed by Ladislav Šaloun and paid for solely by public donations.
Born in 1369, Hus became an influential religious thinker, philosopher, and reformer in Prague. He was a key predecessor to the Protestant movement of the sixteenth century. In his works he criticized religious moral decay of the Catholic Church. Accordingly, the Czech patriot Hus believed that mass should be given in the vernacular, or local language, rather than in Latin. He was inspired by the teachings of John Wycliffe.