Gripsholm Castle
Gripsholms slott
Sweden · Södermanland · Near Stockholm
Built 1537 · Renaissance / Nordic
This page is part of an independent travel guide and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or operated by Gripsholm Castle.
© Unsplash
Quick Facts
- Hours
- Tue–Sun 10:00–16:00. Closed Mon
- Day trip from
- €900
- Duration
- 1.5–2.5 hours
- Best time
- May to September
- Nearest city
- Stockholm
Featured Tour
Mariefred and Gripsholm Castle Private Trip from Stockholm
Cancellation available · Instant confirmation
Highlights
- ✦Founded in 1537 by Gustav Vasa — one of Sweden's most historically significant royal castles
- ✦Houses Sweden's national portrait collection with over 4,000 portraits spanning 500 years
- ✦Set on a peninsula in Lake Mälaren in the perfectly preserved small town of Mariefred
- ✦The vintage steamboat journey from Stockholm to Mariefred is one of Sweden's great summer experiences
- ✦Round towers and red brick give it an iconic Nordic Renaissance silhouette unique in Swedish architecture
Skip the queue with a guided tour
Skip-the-line tickets & expert guides
Gripsholm Castle sits on a promontory in Lake Mälaren, its round towers and red brick reflected in the water, with the small wooden houses of Mariefred visible behind it — a composition that has been one of the defining images of Swedish summer since the 18th century. The castle is about 60 kilometres west of Stockholm, easily reachable by train or road, but the classic approach is by the vintage steamboat DS Mariefred, which runs from Stockholm on summer weekends and turns the journey into an experience in itself: three hours across Lake Mälaren's islands and bays, arriving at a town that has barely changed in a century.
The castle was founded in 1537 by Gustav Vasa, the king who broke Sweden free from the Kalmar Union with Denmark and established the modern Swedish state. Vasa converted an earlier monastery on the site into a royal fortress, and subsequent monarchs added to it across the 16th and 17th centuries until it reached its current four-tower configuration. The interior's most unusual feature is Sweden's national portrait collection — over 4,000 portraits of Swedish historical figures, from medieval monarchs to contemporary politicians, accumulated since the 17th century and hung throughout the castle's rooms.
The town of Mariefred, beyond the castle, is worth exploring for at least an hour: a grid of 18th-century wooden houses in the ochre and yellow palette characteristic of Swedish provincial towns, with good cafes on the main square and a miniature railway that runs between the town and a nearby station in summer.
History
The name Gripsholm derives from an earlier fortification built by Bo Jonsson Grip in the 14th century, of which no trace remains. Gustav Vasa began building the current castle in 1537 on the peninsula where Grip's tower had stood, converting a Carthusian monastery into a royal residence and fortress — part of a broader programme of castle construction with which Vasa consolidated royal power across Sweden.
The castle was substantially expanded under Johan III in the 1570s, who added the characteristic round towers and brought in architects from Germany and the Low Countries to create a more modern Renaissance fortress. His son Sigismund, who became King of Poland and briefly King of Sweden, was born at Gripsholm in 1566.
Gripsholm served as a royal prison as well as a residence: Erik XIV, deposed by his brother Johan III in 1568, was held here for several years until his death (possibly by arsenic poisoning) in 1577. The castle passed out of regular royal use in the 18th century but was preserved and restored, opening to the public in 1822 — making it one of the earliest royal castles in Europe to be opened to visitors. The national portrait collection has been installed here since 1822 and continues to grow.
How to Visit
Getting there: Gripsholm Castle is in Mariefred, roughly 60 km west of Stockholm. By train, take a direct service from Stockholm Central to Läggesta (about 50 minutes), then a connecting bus or the narrow-gauge Östra Södermanlands Jernväg steam railway (summer only) for the final 2 km into Mariefred — the most reliable option year-round. The classic summer approach is the vintage steamboat DS Mariefred, departing from Stockholm's City Hall quay on summer weekends; the 3-hour crossing of Lake Mälaren is one of Sweden's great seasonal experiences. By car, the E20 motorway gets you from Stockholm in about 1 hour; parking is available near the castle in Mariefred.
Tickets: Walk-up entry SEK 14 adult, free child. The GYG tour (t1140374, from €900) is a private 8-hour day trip from Stockholm covering Mariefred and the castle, ideal if you want a fully guided, door-to-door experience — book in advance.
Practical tips: The DS Mariefred steamboat runs summer weekends only — check the schedule before planning around it. The castle is closed on Mondays year-round, so Tuesday is the first available day each week. Allow extra time to walk Mariefred's well-preserved 18th-century wooden town centre after visiting the castle.
Combine with: [Vaxholm Fortress](/castles/sweden/vaxholm-fortress) for a second Lake Mälaren fortress, or [Stockholm Royal Palace](/castles/sweden/stockholm-royal-palace) for a full royal capital day.
Frequently Asked Questions
By train: direct services from Stockholm Centraal to Läggesta take about 50 minutes, then a short bus or steam railway connection to Mariefred. By vintage steamboat (summer weekends only): the DS Mariefred departs from Stockholm's City Hall quay and takes 3 hours across Lake Mälaren — one of Sweden's great summer excursions. By car: about 1 hour from Stockholm via the E20. The steamboat is the most atmospheric option; the train is the most practical.
Location
Gripsholmsvägen, 647 23 Mariefred, Sweden
Nearby Castles
Tours & Tickets
Powered by GetYourGuide
From
€900/ person