Örbyhus Castle, situated between Uppsala and Gävle on European route E4, boasts a rich history that spans several centuries. Originally, a 14th-century stone keep for defensive purposes, the castle was transformed into a fortress by Johan Kristensson Vasa a century later. The most renowned of Örbyhus's prisoners was King Eric XIV of Sweden, who met his demise in the castle in 1577. Imprisoned by his brother, John III of Sweden, Örbyhus also served as a princely residence, undergoing major refurbishments over the years.
The medieval keep still forms the castle core, adorned with a roof lantern and a stone wall featuring cannon openings. Today, the tower houses the prison, while the interiors date from the 1640s. In the 1660s, the Baroque part of the castle was built, a three-storey brick construction surrounded by a large park and several annexes, including an 1820s orangery designed by Carl Christoffer Gjörwell.
Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons
Written by Nik Frost
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