Glimmingehus

Glimmingehus is a medieval fortified manor in the province of Skåne in southern Sweden, in Simrishamn Municipality. The Swedish National Heritage Board describes it as the best-preserved medieval manor in Scandinavia. The Danish knight Jens Holgersen Ulfstand began building it in 1499 as a home for his family, when Skåne still belonged to Denmark. It was completed in 1506, and the North German master mason Adam van Düren is credited as its builder.

The walls are about 2.4 metres thick at the base. Its defences included murder holes, false doors, dead-end passages, moats and drawbridges. At the same time the builders added warm-air ducts in the walls and seats in the window recesses. Archaeological finds such as Venetian glass and Spanish pottery point to a very wealthy household.

The castle has belonged to the Swedish state since 1924. Today it houses a museum, a medieval kitchen, a shop, and a restaurant and café. Several guided tours run daily in summer, including some in English. Please check opening hours and tour times in advance.