Vasaborgen Uppsala slott

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Alexander C.

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Vasaborgen Museum (Vasa Fortress) It is located on the territory of Uppsala Castle. The castle was founded in 1549 by order of King Gustav Vasa, and then expanded under his sons Eric XIV, Johan III and Charles IX. In the 1570s, under King Johan III, new royal chambers were built in the southwest tower, near the Gresgården bastion, and a gate next to them ("King Jan's gate"). By the 18th century, the castle was a quadrangular building with round towers at the corners. In 1702, the castle burned down. Due to the Northern War, there was no money for restoration and it remained in ruins for 40 years. In the future, it was decided not to restore the western part of the castle (moreover, the stone from it was used for new construction). Over time, the southwest tower turned into a grassy hill. In the 1960s, they decided to excavate the hill. The rooms were cleared, and a roof was built over them. Four floors were excavated and living rooms, a kitchen, a children's room, and a royal hall were discovered. Presumably, members of the Sture family, accused of conspiracy, were killed in the dungeon of the tower in 1567 (models of severed heads are on display, there is no access to the dungeon itself). Graffiti with a gallows, which was visible from the windows, has been preserved on the walls of the children's room. In the kitchen, there is a portrait of Cecilia Vasa, the dissolute royal daughter, whose ghost, according to legend, roams the castle. In the 1990s, there was a wax museum in the building, but it had to be closed because the figures were covered with mold. The museum is owned by a private individual, so tickets to it must be purchased separately from tickets to the castle. The museum is open only from June to August, from 11:00 to 17:00. Guided tours with a story about castle ghosts are organized separately. For lovers of the exotic, a solemn marriage registration (civil or religious, any denomination is allowed) is held in the tower - then the museum is closed. For a wedding banquet, you can rent a hall in the central part of the castle.

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Vasaborgen Uppsala slott

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