Southern Sweden, known as Skåne, was once part of Denmark. Today, the region is dotted by centuries old farms, manor houses, and the occasional castle.

Glimmingehus is one of Sweden’s older medieval buildings with construction having started in 1499. Not really looking like your classic castle, Glimmingehus was built as a fortress meant to defend what was then Denmark. Apparently, the strength of the fortress was never tested and instead it was used as a residence for the Danish knight Jens Holgersen Ulfstand.

Today, Glimmingehus is a classic medieval ruin. The building allows almost total access complete with various booby traps, none of which seem to be active. Although, the holes in the floors and walls designed for boiling tar and large rocks to be thrown onto unsuspecting enemy invaders is a stark reminder of the security measures in use at the time.

Luckily, the employees of Glimmingehus who now guide people through the building avoid any form of medieval violence, instead focusing on the history of the area, the building, and southern Sweden. While a bit out of the way, a short day trip to Glimmingehus allows you to escape into the often overlooked medieval history of Scandinavia.

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