Skokloster Castle

Skokloster Castle is located at the countryside 60 km northwest of Stockholm, the Swedish capital. Together with the Swedish History Museum, the Hallwyl Museum, the Royal Coin Cabinet and the Royal Armoury the castle constitutes a national authority (SHM), headed by a Director General, and accountable to the Ministry of Culture. The five museums base their work on a national cultural policy resolution enacted by Swedish Parliament.

Skokloster Castle is one of the mayor monuments from the period when Sweden was one of the most powerful countries in Europe. It's built in the baroque style between 1654 and 1676. At Skokloster the Field Marshal and Count Carl Gustaf Wrangel (1613-1676) created a stately home of European caliber during the second half of the 17th century. Just like continental princes, he tried to understand the world by collecting the most remarkable things that Man and nature were capable of making. The castle has remained amazingly untouched for more than 300 years, giving this building a unique authenticity. Wrangel and the following owners collected fine arts like armory, books, silver, glass, textiles and furniture. The collection consists of about 50 000 items in the 77 rooms in the Castle. Skokloster is considered one of the great castles of Baroque Europe.

BACKGROUND
Since the owner died in 1676, the castle was never really completed. Carl Gustaf Wrangel had no son who survived him. Instead Skokloster passed to his daughter, Margareta Juliana. She married Nils Brahe, a member of Sweden's most exalted countly family. She made Skokloster Castle to an entailed estate in 1701. The von Essen family was the last private owners. Since 1967 Skokloster is owned by the government. Skokloster Castle has been a national museum of cultural history since 1967. Professor Ove Hidemark's groundbreaking restoration has set the tone of present-day heritage conservation respect for old building techniques and preservation of the atmospheric patina of age.