Ekenäs Castle (Sweden)

Ekenäs is located in Örtomta parish in Östergötland County lakeside Ted. On the site where the current palace is, it has for ages been buildings. In the late 1400s belonged to Tammisaari, and the buildings that existed there, the Natt och Dag (the younger Stures) and in the early 1500s the family Ulvätten. One of the Banner family's bailiffs said to have had a farm on the site where the castle now stands. The cellar vaults of the current castle dates from the time when Sture dynasty resided in the castle during the 1500s.


In 1630-1640 century castle got its current renaissance when the Privy Council Peder (Per) Banner (also included in the regency of Queen Christina) rebuilt it. Peder died before the castle was completed but his son, Claes Baner took over the building. The source of inspiration is said to be the castle Sturefors located out on a peninsula in the lake Erlången in Östergötland.
The castle is one of Sweden's finest 1600-century castle and has almost throughout this period belonged to the family banner.
1675 inherited the Privy Council Gustaf Baner Ekenäs but the reduction hit him hard and in 1683 he was forced to sell. At that time the estate comprised 31 homesteads were located in five parishes. For a long time it was the owners of Tammisaari as to put both vicar and curate of Örtomta parish.
A short time - the years 1683-1687, took the merchant and the Commissioner Isaac Breant goods.


Between the years 1687-1727 took the Governor General and the Royal Council Mauritz Vellingk Tammisaari. During his time as owner arose two wings and the red apartment building below the castle. Vellingk said to have been a power-seeking person who pulled on some enemies who finally made life difficult for him. In 1727 he was sentenced to lose his life, honor and goods - the penalty was overturned to life imprisonment.
The same year (1727) came Tammisaari again to belong to the family Banner by Vellingks daughter, Ulrika Kristina married Lieutenant General Johan Baner.


In the mid-1800s major changes took place at the castle, including the replacement banqueting hall (which held more than half of the floor) with a long corridor including a number of sleeping and guest rooms as well as a church hall. However, a part of the fixed 1600-century decor and remain in sjötornets upper room is a preserved painted ceiling and a väggfris from the same time. Baner family owned the castle to 1879 when it was sold to Count Philip Otto Leonard Klingspor.


Until 1934 lived Klingspor daughter alone in the castle, after which it was unoccupied. The current owner (Bergengren) have restored it and recreated the exterior as well as interior and the castle is now displayed as a museum. In 1974 it was declared a historic building.


According to a legend, a boy named Nisse have been locked in the basement of Vellingk and then been forgotten there. The boy starved to death, and is now said to haunt the castle.