Börringe Abbey

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Börringe Abbey

Börringe Abbey (or Börringekloster Castle) is a Scanian castle built on the ruins of a Benedictine abbey from the 12th century in Svedala, Scania, in southern Sweden. The abbey was mentioned in Liber Census Daniae in 1231 as located on the island Byrdingø, which was part of the land which Valdemar II of Denmark had set aside for hunting. In the beginning of the 16th century, it was owned by Søren Norrby, who together with the knight Jens Holgersen Ulfstand of Glimmingehus Castle, led the Danish navy to victory in several battles against Lübeck.

When Scania became a Swedish domain at the Treaty of Roskilde in 1658, Charles X of Sweden gave it to his illegitimate son, Gustaf Carlsson. Charles XI made the estate into state property and made it available to the General Governor of Scania, Count Gustaf Otto Stenbock. In 1682, Charles XI exchanged the estate for Herrevad Abbey with Otto Wilhelm von Königsmarck, son of Hans Christoff von Königsmarck, but in 1686, the estate was made state property again. It was bought by the Beck-Friis family in 1745.

In 1763, the older structures were replaced by the present castle, and in 1873 the castle was renovated or rebuilt into its present shape. The castle became a joint County (earldom) with Fiholm Castle in Södermanland in 1791 and the Swedish nobility title of Count was awarded to the new owners.