Brahehus is a motorway service area and castle ruin a few kilometers north of Gränna in Jönköping Municipality. The castle has a history dating back to the 17th century and it watches out over the cliff edge 180 meters above Lake Vättern, the second-largest lake in Sweden. The castle ruin has a view of the lake and the island of Visingsö.
A Short History of Brahehus
The castle was built by Per Brahe the Younger in the 17th century. Construction began in 1637 but was not completed until the 1650s. Per Brahe the Younger was the count of the Grafschaft, or county, of Visingsö. The area also included Gränna. The seat of the county was the castle of Visingsborg on the island of Visingsö. As a matter of fact, Brahehus was not meant to replace Visingsborg. Instead, it was built to eventually house the widow of Per Brahe the Younger. The expected widow never became a widow. Instead Per Brahe the Younger outlived his wife by around 30 years and the castle of Brahehus became his guesthouse.
Per Brahe the Younger died in 1680, something that eventually resulted in two events. The first was that Brahehus was emptied of anything of value. The second was that Brahehus was confiscated by the Swedish crown. A fire in the nearby settlement of Uppgränna in 1708 eventually led to the end of the castle of Brahehus. The fire spread and eventually consumed the castle. It has since been a ruin. Restorations have since taken place in the 1910s and in the 2010s.
The castle ruins got company and became accessible to the masses in 1972. This was when the E4 motorway was built just a short distance from the ruins. A short walk from the ruins a service area was constructed, with a restaurant and gas station.
Things to Do and See
The castle ruin is the main sight here but not always the main attraction to the area. Many travelers along the E4 motorway use the service area where you will find a restaurant, a gas station, and a rest area. Some might even miss the sight that is just a short walk away, but others stop here just because of the castle ruin. The rest area also includes a smaller playground for any restless kid who has been sitting in the car for too long.
Brahehus Castle Ruin
The castle ruins are just a short walk from the service area along the E4 motorway. Here you will find impressive stone walls with a beautiful view of Lake Vättern. Entering the castle gives you the possibility to enjoy the view through its windows, but it is also possible to see the lake and the island of Visingsö from the cliff itself.
How to Get to Brahehus
- Flights: The nearest airport is Jönköping Airport (JKG) to the south.
- Car: Brahehus lies along Road E4, just north of Gränna.
The driving distance from 5 major Swedish cities, according to Google Maps:
- Stockholm – 282 kilometers (2 h 50 min)
- Gothenburg – 188 kilometers (2 h)
- Malmö – 332 kilometers (3 h 20 min)
- Linköping – 87 kilometers (55 min)
- Kiruna – 1512 kilometers (15 h 30 min)
Explore More of Småland and Sweden
