Nyborg Castle: Denmark’s Oldest Preserved Royal Residence and Historical Fortress
Visitor Information
Google Rating: 4
Popularity: Low
Official Website: www.nyborgslot.dk
Country: Denmark
Civilization: Early Modern, Medieval European
Site type: Military
Remains: Castle
History
Nyborg Castle, located in Nyborg Municipality, Denmark, was originally built by Danish builders in the late 12th century. Its foundation dates back to around 1170 when Knud Prislavsen, a nephew of King Valdemar the Great (who ruled from 1157 to 1182), established the fortress. By 1193, the castle had come under direct royal ownership, making it Denmark’s oldest preserved royal residence.
During the Middle Ages, Nyborg Castle gained prominence as the fixed annual location for the Danehof, Denmark’s medieval parliament, which met there from the 12th through the 15th centuries. This use made the castle a political hub where significant events unfolded, including the signing of Denmark’s first constitution, the Håndfæstning, in 1282. Its strategic position by the Great Belt, a vital strait connecting parts of Denmark and controlling maritime and land routes, allowed the castle to maintain internal stability and defend the kingdom from external threats. It also served as a base during Crusade expeditions in the Baltic region.
In 1377, a notable event at Nyborg solidified its political importance when Queen Margrete I convened to secure her son Oluf’s election as king, an act that set in motion the formation of the Kalmar Union. This union brought Denmark, Norway, and Sweden under a single monarchy. Margrete I also commissioned the construction of Nyborg Vor Frue Church as her gesture of gratitude for military victories secured during her reign.
From the late 15th century onward, Nyborg increasingly served as a royal residence. King Hans and Queen Christine made the castle their permanent home beginning in 1481, and their son, Christian II, was born within its walls in 1483. During the reigns of Frederik I (1523–1533) and Christian III (1536–1559), the castle underwent significant transformations into a Renaissance palace. Enlarged windows, decorated interiors, and a new great hall reflected the stylistic changes of the period. Christian III also enhanced the castle’s defenses and the town around it, transforming it into a grand princely residence during the tumultuous times of the Reformation.
The mid-17th century brought devastation under the Swedish wars (1657–1659), when Nyborg Castle suffered severe damage. This event ended its function as a royal home and shifted its role toward military uses. For about 250 years thereafter, it operated primarily as a military garrison and fortress, with its fortifications adapted into the Italian bastion style that emphasized thick earthworks and angled defensive walls.
Starting in the late 17th century, much of the castle was dismantled to provide building materials for projects nearby, including the construction of Odense Palace and the rebuilding of parts of the town of Nyborg following fires. Over time, the northern wing was slowly demolished, with its disappearance completed in the late 19th century. The military garrison stationed at Nyborg was disbanded in 1913, leading to renewed interest in preserving and studying the castle. Major archaeological excavations and restoration efforts occurred in the 1920s under Mogens Clemmensen, concentrating on the royal wing.
Since the adoption of Denmark’s constitution in 1849, Nyborg Castle has been state property. It now functions as a museum administered by Østfyns Museer. Beginning in 2016, a comprehensive restoration and expansion project was launched to enhance public accessibility, create new exhibition areas, and restore the watchtower, emphasizing the castle’s historical role overlooking the Great Belt. Archaeological work from 2009 to 2018 uncovered evidence dating the castle’s earliest structures to around 1209 or 1210, confirmed the original design including a north wing lost by later demolition, and revealed additional features such as a 14th-century temporary kitchen and a substantial 16th-century sewer system.
Efforts to have Nyborg Castle and the surrounding area recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site have been pursued, highlighting its role in Danish constitutional history, governance, royal life, and military defense, though these nominations have faced challenges, partly due to debates over modern restoration and new construction within the historic site. Funding has largely come from foundations such as Realdania and the Danish government, although one major sponsor, the A.P. Møller Fonden, withdrew support in 2022 due to delays and increasing costs.
Remains
Nyborg Castle originally had a square-shaped design surrounded by a moat, featuring high defensive walls approximately ten meters tall. At each corner stood robust towers connected by curtain walls, creating a fortified curtain meant to protect the castle’s interior. Within this enclosure rose a large central fortress tower. The initial construction comprised two substantial stone residential buildings and a palatium—a grand hall or palace—added adjacent to the west wall in the mid-13th century. A strong defensive tower was also erected on the eastern side, reinforcing its security.
The castle’s defenses extended beyond stone walls. An elaborate water management system channeled water from the Vindinge Å, a stream about five kilometers away, through canals, sluices, and dikes to fill the moat surrounding both the castle and the adjacent town. This interconnected system enhanced the castle’s defensive capabilities by creating wet barriers against attackers.
Today, the preserved structures include the royal wing, known as the Kongefløjen, and the lower portion of the large watchtower, or vagttårn, which dates back to the reign of King Erik Menved in the early 14th century. During the Renaissance, particularly under Frederik I and Christian III, the castle’s appearance changed significantly. Large new windows brightened the interiors, walls were decorated featuring characteristic boss patterns—raised ornamental designs—and a grand knights’ hall (riddersal) was added for ceremonial purposes.
In 1607, King Christian IV commissioned the Italian architect Domenicus Badiaz to add a spire to the main tower, the Knudstårnet, giving it a profile reminiscent of Copenhagen’s Blåtårn (Blue Tower). Following the heavy damage during the Swedish wars in the mid-17th century, most castle buildings were demolished; the stone was repurposed for local constructions such as Odense Palace. The surviving structures served more mundane functions like storing grain and gunpowder during the castle’s military garrison period.
Archaeological excavations have revealed the castle’s original layout to have included a north wing that has since been lost. The discoveries confirmed that the castle’s buildings were integrated into a cohesive design from its earliest phase. Among the unexpected findings was a large, previously unknown 16th-century sewer system beneath the castle. This early sewer was both larger and older than a similar system uncovered under modern Christiansborg Palace in Copenhagen, indicating advanced waste management for its time.
Today, restoration efforts focus on the medieval and Renaissance elements, including plans to raise the watchtower by 12 meters to a total height of 22 meters. This elevation will restore historic views over the Great Belt, reflecting the castle’s strategic location. The castle is also surrounded by earthwork fortifications built in the post-medieval period following Italian bastion fort design principles. These include broad defensive embankments and poternes—arched gated openings constructed from stone salvaged from the castle’s dismantled walls.
The central courtyard, or borggård, remains enclosed by a ring wall that has been partially reconstructed atop the original medieval foundations. The castle grounds form part of a larger historic urban area known as Slotsholmen, which contains additional archaeological remains and is subject to strict heritage protection regulations. Some 19th-century military buildings on the site were removed in 2017 and 2018 to pave the way for new construction aligned with restoration goals.
Currently operating as a museum, Nyborg Castle features period-appropriate furnishings collected from historic manor houses. Its interior includes three banquet halls that represent significant moments in the castle’s history: the Danehof Room commemorates its medieval parliamentary function; Margrete’s Hall honors Queen Margrete I’s legacy; and Christian III’s Hall reflects Renaissance elegance and the Reformation era. These spaces allow visitors to connect with the castle’s rich political, royal, and cultural past through carefully preserved and interpreted environments.
