Bergkvara Castle ruins near Växjö

Bergkvara is a manor house and ruined castle located at the north beach of Bergkvarasjön in Växjö. Described as one of the oldest mansions in the region, the property was bought by the Trolle family in the 15th century and rebuilt as a stone castle in the 1470s by Arvid Trolle.

The castle was originally surrounded by two moats that served as a system of defense. In the late 17th century, the inner moat was partly filled to serve as a fishpond, while the outer moat served as a ditch marking the limit of the castle bailey. By this time, the residence had moved to the outer moat as the tower house had lost its original function.

In 1542, the castle was ransacked, plundered and set on fire after a long siege during the Dacke War by the peasant revolt of Nils Dacke. The structure became ruined in the 18th century. However, a new main building was under construction in the late 18th century and was finished in 1794.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons