Nääs Castle: The historic site of a famous craft college

Nääs Castle is a 17th-century mansion situated by Sävelången Lake in Västergötland, Sweden, east of Floda in the Lerum Municipality. The first historical evidence of the estate derives from title deeds dated 3 October 1529. According to legend, Kristian II built a castle for hunting parties at Näs, but the first known owner, Joen Småswen, constructed a large manor on the promontory. During the 16th century, the estate was owned by the governor of west Sweden, Göran Eriksson Ulfsparre, before passing through the hands of several noble families, including the Lilliehöök, Natt och Dag, Cronsköld, Oxenstierna, Göthenstierna, von Utfall, and Reenstierna.

In 1824, the estate was sold to Peter Wilhelm Berg, a wholesaler from Gothenburg. After his death, the property was divided among his children; his son Theodor and daughter Nensy were allotted Nääs factories, while his youngest son, Gottfrid, received the rest of the estate, including the mansion. A memorial stone to the seven siblings who died in childhood was erected in the castle gardens. In 1868, the mansion and its associated land were sold to August Abrahamson, another wholesaler from Gothenburg. Abrahamson founded the famous craft college and donated the entire property to the state after his death in 1897.

Today, the August Abrahamson Foundation manages the estate, which includes approximately 1,500 hectares of land and 60 buildings. Nääs Castle is now a museum open to the public daily between May and September for guided tours. The estate continues to provide art and craft courses, a horse riding school, and conference accommodations. The foundation works to preserve Nääs as a site of cultural heritage while promoting the survival of craftsmanship through education, research, and public activities.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons