Tidö Castle

Västerås, Sweden

Tidö is one of Sweden's best preserved Baroque palaces, built in the Dutch Renaissance style. The first building on the site was a medieval house built by the Gren family in the 15th century. In 1537, the Gren family sold the castle to the Queen consort, Margaret Leijonhufvud. In 1540, her husband, king Gustav Vasa, traded the castle to Ekolsund Castle and Tidö came to the Tott family. Today, minor ruins of the former house can be found next to the present building.

The present castle at Tidö was built by the Lord High Chancellor of Sweden Axel Oxenstierna in 1625–1645. The castle was built around a rectangular courtyard with the main building to the north and the three linked wings to the east, west and south. The main entrance is through a vault in the south wing. In 1889, the von Schinkel family bought Tidö and they still own it today. Today visitors may see the Toy Museum.

References:

Comments

Your name



Details

Founded: 1625-1645
Category: Castles and fortifications in Sweden
Historical period: Swedish Empire (Sweden)

Rating

4/5 (based on Google user reviews)

User Reviews

Hans Södervall (8 months ago)
17th century castle well worth a visit! Beautiful surroundings!
Esther Emmanuella Spio (9 months ago)
Got here later hours of the day but was able to get a good view of the surroundings although I didn’t enter or have an assisted tour. Will recommend for anyone around Västerås.
Oksana Valetska (11 months ago)
Good place to visit, but do not expect a lot of "glamor" from this castle. It's another style. To visit the third floor you need to buy a ticket, but it is worth it.
Eric A.L. Axner (4 years ago)
I was here a few times as a child, from which I have no memory. Visiting it now however, I can say for certainty that it is a fabulous castle, sterdy and rustic, much like its original owner Axel Oxenstierna, the creator (for good and bad) of the Swedish bureaucracy. I can definitely see myself visiting again.
Powered by Google

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

Historic Site of the week

Walls of Constantinople

The Walls of Constantinople are a series of defensive stone walls that have surrounded and protected the city of Constantinople (today Istanbul) since its founding as the new capital of the Roman Empire by Constantine the Great. With numerous additions and modifications during their history, they were the last great fortification system of antiquity, and one of the most complex and elaborate systems ever built. They were also the largest and strongest fortification in both the ancient and medieval world.

Initially built by Constantine the Great, the walls surrounded the new city on all sides, protecting it against attack from both sea and land. As the city grew, the famous double line of the Theodosian Walls was built in the 5th century. Although the other sections of the walls were less elaborate, they were, when well-manned, almost impregnable for any medieval besieger.