Orebro Castle
Orebro Castle is located in the center of the Swedish city of which it shares the same name. Located in the southern part of the Nordic country, the medieval castle of Orebro is situated on the beautiful small island in the river Svartån which divides the city in the north and south.
Orebro name comes from the small stones that are removed from the river bed. The second part of the castle's name ‘bro’ comes from a word that translates as a bridge, this is because once the medieval castle was built with a swing bridge. Orebro’s location was of strategic choice. There are the important roads that crossed, and the presence of the castle at this location was imperative for the control of trade and overall traffic to the interior parts of Sweden.
The Orebro Castle was built in the early 13th century, reconstructed and enlarged during the reign of Gustav Bashan. In 1364 Albrecht von Mecklenburg conquered the fortress which was then the predecessor of today Orebro. For the next 700 years the building of the castle was performing the function of a watchful eye of anyone who crossed the bridge over the River Savrtan.
The oldest part of Orebro Castle is a defensive tower which was erected in the second half of the 13th century. In the 14th century the castle had other parts of the palace added and most of the 16th century medieval additions that remain of Orebro are what you can see today. There is an interesting old cannon in front of the castle, which until a tragic accident that had injured an innocent spectator, was used in various demonstrations.
Many key and important events in Swedish history took place in Orebro Castle. Among the notable events in Orebro include the national meeting of parliament in 1810 when Jean-Baptiste Bernado was elected Prince of Sweden. For more than two hundred years the castle served as the residence of the district governor.
Today Orebro Castle is open for public visits, offering its guests a variety of exhibitions of paintings and art objects. In the halls of Orebro Castle are often held musical events and other various exhibitions, conferences, etc.
