Ekensholm Castle, Manor house in Flen Municipality, Sweden
Ekensholm is a château-like manor house on the northern shore of Lake Dunkern in Dunker Parish, Flen Municipality. Its main building, erected in 1827 in Italian Neoclassical style, is a two-storey stone structure with a pinkish plastered facade, a flat roof with balustrade, and a west front of six tall Ionic columns. The building extends eastward with two wings, forming a U-shaped complex.
The estate was first mentioned in 1593 as Holmen, a croft under Herrökna, and was built up as a säteri before 1619 by Margareta Vogtin von Fronhausen. In 1792 it was sold to Baron Knut Kurck, who renamed it Ekensholm and in 1827 had the present stone corps de logi built northwest of the old main building, which still stands as the south wing. The property later passed through families including Friesendorff, Fitinghoff and von Stockenström.
The name Ekensholm was adopted by Knut Kurck after he bought the estate in 1792; it was previously called Holmen. The author Laura Fitinghoff lived here with her husband Conrad Fitinghoff. Today the castle is the home of Count Archibald Douglas and Walburga Habsburg Douglas, a former Swedish parliament member born an Austrian archduchess.
Ekensholm is a private residence, so the house and grounds are not open to visitors; the building is seen from across Lake Dunkern or from the public road. The estate lies in Dunkers parish, Flen Municipality, Södermanland County, and the farmland is leased to Agroelit AB. A small private airfield sits north of the castle.
The grounds briefly served as a training facility for Swedish Royal Guard horses, including preparation of the horse named Salut. This unusual use of the historic property was temporary and has since ended.
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