Broborg Castle

Knivsta, Sweden

Broborg is one of Uppland's most magnificent ancient strongholds, strategically placed on a ridge along the former seaway, the "highway" of its day, that led Vikings to Old Uppsala and the Baltic Sea. The castle was built on a high hill, about 40 m above sea level. The castle was used between 6th and 11th centuries.

The castle had an outer and inner wall. The outer wall protected the longest sides to the south and east.The inner wall is almost completely enclosed and has a circumference of about 200 m. There were entrances in the southeast and west.

The visible walls of the stronghold tell its history and the many sagas associated with the site capture our imagination. One such saga is about Grimsa, the daughter of a powerful Viking chieftain who lies buried in a mound near the stronghold.

References:

Address

Stenby 25, Knivsta, Sweden

See all sites in Knivsta

Details

Founded: 500-1000 AD
Category: Prehistoric and archaeological sites in Sweden
Historical period: Migration Period (Sweden)

More Information

www.destinationuppsala.se

Rating

4.3/5 (based on Google user reviews)

User Reviews

Maarten Wynants (2 years ago)
Nice walk on remnants of an old fort surrounded by nice woodland.

Kjell Jonsson (3 years ago)
There are only stones left of the castle but it was a nice view

Leonella Bergström (4 years ago)
Very good! Ten out of ten.

Eric A.L. Axner (4 years ago)
A really cool place dating back to before the Viking Age.

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Photo from Flickr, copyright discopalace

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Sigmaringen Castle

Sigmaringen Castle was first mentioned in the year 1077 in the chronicles of Petershausen monastery. The oldest parts of the castle are concealed beneath the alterations made during the 17th and the 19th centuries. The secret of the earliest settlement built on this defendable rock will never be fully revealed: large-scale excavation work would be necessary, which the extensive land development renders impossible. Judging from the many Roman remains unearthed in the area around Sigmaringen, the 12th century keep known as the 'Roman Tower' could be traced back to a Roman predecessor.

The castle remains that have been preserved (gate, great hall and keep) date back to the Staufer period around 1200. The castle remains were integrated into subsequent buildings. The foundations of the castle buildings are to a large extent identical to the surrounding castle wall.

These remains give us a good idea of how the castle might have looked during the 12th century.