The Troublesome Lion at Gripsholm Castle

Gripsholm Castle, a Swedish royal residence, has been significant since the 16th century. Initially built as a fortress in the 1370s, it was transformed into a Carthusian monastery in 1498 under Sten Sture the Elder. The monastery was dismantled during the Swedish Reformation in 1526, and the castle was restored to its original owner. King Gustav I was responsible for demolishing the monastic buildings and the old castle, constructing a fortified castle with circular corner towers and a defensive wall. Only the façade of a wall from the original medieval fortress remains today. The castle functioned as a royal residence, but not a main one strictly speaking, until the 18th century. Despite its rich history, one of the most intriguing aspects is a poorly-preserved lion that has been a subject of much debate in recent museum exhibits.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons