Hovdala Castle

Hovdala Castle is a fortress in Hässleholm Municipality, Scania, in southern Sweden. Its oldest elements date from the early 16th century. Hovdala is noted for the first time in 1130, but the currently visible fortress complex began to be constructed at some stage in the early 16th century. The date 1511 may be study on one of the facades.

During this time, Scania became a part of Denmark. The squire Magnus Rabek is mentioned in written sources as having owned the property sometime earlier than the Black Death. During the early 15th century, the property belonged to a squire named Klement Skaldra. At the end of the century, the property surpassed to the Laxmand family, who erected the oldest of the currently visible buildings. Through marriage it later surpassed to the Grubbe family. During the ownership of Sigvard Grubbe, an knowledgeable man who stood close to the king, Christian IV of Denmark, and who had studied in Wittenberg and Basel, the citadel changed into besieged two times by Swedish troops all through the Kalmar War. The castle withstood the sieges.