The stellar Swedish castle, once a medieval powerhouse, is coming to the market
The castle is built partly on the ruins of the old monastery.
Standing at the crossroads of epic transformations–from politics and science to war and finance–Hiravad Fort It is a rare example of a medieval power center coveted by popes and kings.
With notable influence spilling over into two Scandinavian countries, the 28-room castle and farmhouse with six large apartments and attic rooms recently came to the market after 16 years of ownership. The 21.6-hectare (53-acre) estate is located in southern Sweden Scania (knife) boycott.
“You can’t live on 12,000 square meters (130,000 square feet),” says retired owner Steen Damkjaer, who is selling the property specifically because of its sheer size, which is ideal for a business venture, rather than a bachelors’ platform.
The expansion took place in 1810 after Herevad became a military headquarters for the region.
Those familiar with the property cite its huge investment potential. They include switching to multiple hotels and restaurants, wellness, nature, sports, or art and culture centers. Residences can also be rented or owned. Nearby, similar restored castles, such as CrabRob And SufiIt is popular with tourists for day trips or overnight stays.
The property, which during its four-century heyday became one of the largest and wealthiest monastic houses in Denmark, heralds historic brands. It began with its founding in 1144 as Denmark’s first state Cistercian Abbey (formerly Scania was part of the Kingdom of Denmark).
The property is the only privately owned monastery in Scandinavia, according to Damkyar, who is a member of the European Charter of the Association of Cistercian Monasteries and Sites.
The listing is presented as two sites that can be purchased together or individually: a two-storey manor house of 1.6 hectares (about four acres) or a three-storey castle (built from the original monastery) and accompanying buildings on 20 hectares (about 50 acres). The latter property includes a chapel, granary, three large log homes, and converted military buildings.
The newer owners have chosen to strip the walls, floors, and ceilings from the previous renovations.
The lands are located near a small town Ljungby Heath It is a 30-minute drive from Port City Helsingborg.
The property’s 12th-century origins are quite evident and include royal vaults, a knight’s hall, ceramic tiles made by monks, and limestone floors “polished by many feet over the centuries,” says Pico Hoti, founder and CEO of the company. Shaza luxury real estatewhich holds the list.
“You can feel the story of the abbey and the castle as you walk through,” he says. “Monks and Knights – you can’t help but imagine the history. It’s a hidden gem with huge potential, something totally exclusive and worthwhile for tourists.”
The branding capabilities of the property are in fact superior. The partially existing monastery was the site of a famous celestial discovery in 1572. It blew up the ancient notion that stars and planets were embedded Celestial spheres powered by a mysterious fifth element, Essence.
Details such as stairs with an arched ceiling add a sense of antiquity.
In short, Herrevad was the site of an event that led to a completely modern model of the universe: Tychonic system. More on this stellar event later.
In the mid-18th century, two wings were added to the main structure of the abbey, turning it into a U-shaped castle of 3,000 square meters (32,292 sq ft). Almost a century earlier in 1658, Scania was ceded to the Swedish crown After the Danish-Swedish wars that devastated the region for hundreds of years. Under Swedish rule, the castle became a military center for 300 years.
Measuring 1,632 sq m (17,566 sq ft), it was built in 1815 and includes plans to split the existing six apartments into 22 two-bedroom apartments, each with its own bathroom. The offices are located in the basement. Damkjaer is currently living stylishly in one of the flats, all move-in ready. “You can rent out the spaces tomorrow,” he says.
Now considered a country home, the castle and roaring fireplace required some work due to its age. When Damkjaer bought the property in 2006, both the castle and the manor house had been run as hotels since 1994–34. The castle and 20 rooms in the manor house were let in.
The church next to the castle was used as a wedding venue.
Since then, Damgir has stripped the castle of its 1930s-era electrical and plumbing systems. He also cleared the walls, floors, and ceilings of previous renovations to reveal the original designs. The 1805 granary was converted into a concert hall, and the building is notable for its thick gray stone. Damkjaer has also carved out an eye-catching art museum from the former cavalry riding grounds.
There is a chapel used for weddings adjacent to the castle. The 12th-century structure is the former sacristy of a 53-meter (174-foot) sandstone church, which has long since collapsed along with its massive dome.
The Gothic vaulting ceiling found in the church is a notable remnant of the church Cistercian architecture, called the “geometry of light” and is considered the most attractive design of the Middle Ages. The austere designs, devoid of ornament, relied on the sun to decorate the walls given that the monks equated God with light.
Inside the church entrance, there is an erect tombstone of a crusader, an iconoclast Knights Templar, model of the Christian nobility. The mysterious order achieved enormous wealth along with political influence during the medieval era. As elite fighters, the Knights Templar were tasked with accompanying and protecting monks and others during pilgrimages.
The variety of buildings on the site reflects the myriad of uses over the centuries.
“It really blows your mind,” says Hoti of the gray tomb, which is completely covered with a cross of the Order laid out in relief. Bernard of Clairvaux (in honor of Saint Bernard) He was the founder of the Knights Templar as well as the Cistercian Order. At the request of Archbishop of Lund Eskil, He sent 12 Cistercian monks from the French Abbey of Sito to Scania to found Herevad Abbey. The inauguration took place around 1150 with the foundations being laid by 1158.
The church also includes a bishop’s tomb and a stone commemorating the Danish king Christian II (For a while, also King of Sweden and Norway). The stone is inscribed with the date 1514. Six years later, the king ordered the execution of 82 Swedish nobles in an event known as the Stockholm bloodbath.
“The Danes call him the Great Christian,” says Hoti. “We call him a terrible Christian.”
Behind the castle is a Royal Court, A royal farm dating back to 1745 – used by Scandinavian royalty and royal families when traveling. It includes three wooden houses with 3,000 square meters of combined living space (32,292 square feet). The structures were built in the middle of the nineteenth century. One is being used as a riding stable and the other two are under renovation.
Two ponds and mature trees cultivate the land.
“It was used by many Swedish kings as well as Danish kings — it tells you that this place was really a central place of power,” says Hoti.
The grounds, adorned with two ponds and ancient oaks, contain stables and stone barracks. The windows in the castle, manor house, and other buildings are built of basic pine and many are double faced. “They last for centuries,” says Hoti, citing the wood’s famous durability. The windows are set to a depth of 50 cm (about 20 in), revealing the thickness of the walls which serve to insulate the structures.
Most of the floors of the castle and manor house are of pine, except for the limestone in the lower floors of the castle.
The most recent history of the property saw it as a training camp for the Swedish Army from 1858-1898, and from 1902-1957 it served as a horse training ground for the country’s army. From 1960-1994, it became a flying school for the Swedish Air Force. In 1994, the land and its buildings became privately owned.
The stone buildings were used as barracks for a Swedish military training camp.
But during the first four centuries of its existence, Herevad rose to become a mighty landowner, owning more than 400 estates – donated by wealthy families as a kind of tribute. indulgenceA ticket to heaven for the faithful.
The estate’s economic and administrative strength is partly due to its location near the River Rhone beside a well-travelled route between Sweden and Denmark. It had access to thriving markets in both countries. Over time, Herevad accumulated so much land that it became an independent province.
The 400-year-old monastic age of Herrivad ended with the advent of Denmark Protestant Reformation In 1536 all the religious houses and their extensive lands fell to the crown. Herrevad was given to Steen Bille, a famous nobleman and uncle Tycho Brahe.
From his laboratory in Herevad on the evening of November 11, 1572 – 36 years before the advent of telescopes –Brahe noticed a supernova explosionAnd Star Nova It surprisingly appeared in the constellation Cassiopeia.
The granary has recently been used as a concert venue.
With his discovery, the astronomer proved that the heavens were not, in fact, static, but rather constantly changing – the supernova did not have a daily the view Against the background of fixed stars.
Brahe later published major works that became important contributions to astronomy. Among other endeavors, he has also designed and built tools that have revolutionized the field (Sahib Mural quadrant That stellar altimetry is impressive).
Herrevad’s coat of arms includes a shield with a star, a nod to Brahe’s famous find – an impressive royal signature for the property. Damkjaer also honored Brahe’s discovery by bottling up the spring water that floats near the ancient monastery. He labels the water and sells it to locals and restaurants Star Nova.
“The monks settled here because of the water – the best you can drink,” he says, adding that samples have been tested by Lund University in Scania. “It has huge potential.”
Besides the water and the property’s enduring history, Damgir says he particularly enjoys the area’s fresh air. “It’s very close to nature,” he says. “You can live freely and healthy here.”
The castle includes several outbuildings.
When the Swedish army sold the estate in 1994, 587 hectares (1,450 acres) of the surrounding forest had been converted into a nature reserve that shares a name with the estate-Herevad Monastery (or Herevad Monastery). It can never be developed. More beauty within a 10-minute drive from the castle: Sodrasen National Park With 1,625 hectares (4,015 acres) of beech woods, sheer cliffs and streams.
The property and its surrounding grounds have fishing, kayaking and hiking spots. There is an airport and golf courses nearby.
“And if you want to spend a day in the city, you’re only 30 minutes away,” says Damkyar, referring to the historic port city. Helsingborg (population 114,000). the Angelholm Helsingborg Airport It is located about 35 kilometers (about 22 miles) north of Helsingborg.
The flight to Copenhagen takes about an hour and a half, and Malmö, Sweden’s third largest city, is an hour away by car.
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