Vadstena kungsgård, Royal manor in Vadstena Municipality, Sweden
Vadstena kungsgård is a stone building with medieval architecture set near the shores of Lake Vättern in eastern Sweden. The structure retains white-plastered walls and the characteristic form of a former royal residence later converted into monastic use.
The property began as a royal residence in the mid-13th century, with its earliest written record appearing in a 1268 letter by Elof, brother of Birger Jarl. In 1346, the king and queen converted it into a monastery by donating it to establish Vadstena Abbey.
The location became tied to Saint Birgitta, who established her monastic community here in the 1300s and transformed the royal property into a spiritual center. Visitors today can trace how the building reflects both its royal origins and its later religious purpose through the layout of its spaces.
The building now operates as the Santa Birgitta Monastery Museum and welcomes visitors regularly. The lakeside location makes it easy to explore the surrounding area on foot during your visit.
Archaeological work during 1956 renovations revealed that the building's frame and interior structures retained their medieval origins. This discovery shows how little the structure changed in its core elements despite its many transformations over the centuries.
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