Ruins of the Renaissance-inspired Brahehus Castle

The ruins of Brahehus Castle are located 3 km (2 mi) outside of Gränna in Jönköping County in the province of Småland, Sweden. Built for and named after Count Per Brahe the Younger in the 1640s, Brahehus initially served as a dower house for Countess Kristina Katarina Stenbock. Upon her death in 1650, the castle instead housed entertainment for Brahe's guests. The castle’s location harmonizes visually with two of Brahe’s other castles - Västanå Manor and Visingsborg Castle.

The castle consists of a square main building with two spired side towers. The northern tower housed twelve guards, weapons storage, and possibly a prison cell. The southern tower housed a well and likely also a kitchen. The main building was divided into two storeys and a cellar. The kitchen was on the lower floor, and halls and bedrooms were on the upper floor. Roof lanterns, surrounded by a balcony, were placed on the roof. The castle’s decorative features included themes from the mythology of the Roman poet Ovid.

Brahehus was finished in 1651. Gränna was founded by Per Brahe the Younger in 1651 with its streets oriented towards the castle. Soon thereafter, Brahehus was confiscated to the crown in the Great Reduction of Charles XI. A fire destroyed Brahehus in 1708. Today, Brahehus is a tourist destination, and the E4 motorway is located 50 meters from the ruins. Since the restoration performed between 1911 and 1913, Brahehus has been restored four more times, the latest in 2011-2012.

First plans for a restoration of the ruins were drawn up by the Royal Academy of Letters in 1891. Interest in the castle ruins grew in the 19th century when it was perceived as a romantic destination.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons