Örbyhus Castle

Knypplan, Sweden, Sweden

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Örbyhus Castle, located near Knypplan in Uppland, Sweden, is a historic fortress with origins tracing back to the 14th century as a farmstead that evolved into a stone keep around the 1450s under Johan Kristersson (Vase), grandfather of King Gustav Vasa.

Acquired by Gustav Vasa in 1548, it was fortified into a Renaissance stronghold with ramparts and used as a state prison, most famously holding deposed King Erik XIV, who died there in 1577 from suspected poisoning amid multiple escape plots.

Rebuilt as a Baroque palace in the 1660s by the Banér family, it underwent further Neoclassical renovations in the 19th-20th centuries under owners like the von Rosen family and now serves as a private residence with guided tours showcasing its tower, interiors, and park.