Pupletts in Sweden: Öland and Kalmar - Part 3

After walking around Skedemosse, we decided to head out to Kalmar Castle before the rugby game. Unfortunately we didn't have time to do the castle tour, but we did get a chance to walk around the castle grounds.

Kalmar castle started as a round defensive tower in the twelfth century and was expanded by King Magnus Ladulås at the end of the thirteenth century and further improved in the 16th century by King Gustav I and his sons King Eric XIV and King John III.

The castle was the site where the Kalmar Union between Sweden, Demark, Norway and Finland was made in 1397 and defended in the Swedish rebellion against Denmark in 1520.

The castle was damaged by fire in 1642 and left in disrepair before being restored in 1856.

Looking out over Kalmar harbour and the edge of the castle

Kalmar Castle

The kids demonstrating the height of the outer walls

The moat

We were able to enter the castle grounds, but unfortunately we didn't have time to do the castle tour:

Heading in

Across the drawbridge

Vasa Crest above the main gates

From a sign outside the gates:
"The castle's main entrance was moved to the newly built western wall in the 16th century. A strong, square gate tower with several floors was built there to protect the entrance. At the same time, the moat was dug deeper and wider. Crossing the water was a wooden bridge resting on posts and equipped with a drawbridge. The current bridge was built following the expansion of the moat in the 1930s and was renovated a few years ago.

The House of Vasa wanted to highlight that Kalmar Castle belong to them. The main gate was therefore adorned with a coat of arms. Two standing lions with crowns are holding the national coat of arms Tre Kronor, the House of Vasa's sheaf and the House of Folkunga's Lion. The beautifully carved limestone gate also features a pair of stone columns. Everything was made by stonemason Roland Mackle at Öland in 1568. The work on the gate was completed 20 years later; the lions and crowns were gilded and the background was painted blue.

Marksmen were at the ready both in the gate tower and in the secret defense's arrow slits to prevent the enemy from getting across the moat. The defence was a covered external walkway between the northern and western cannon towers. You can see the remains of the covered walkway next to you."