Brahehus, Castle ruins north of Gränna, Sweden

Brahehus is a castle ruin perched on a steep cliff above Lake Vättern near Gränna. The remains feature two square towers and walls that command views across the water toward the island of Visingsö.

Per Brahe the Younger began building in 1637 or 1638 as a dower house for his wife Kristina Katarina Stenbock, but she died in 1650 before it was finished. The castle was completed in 1651 and then lodged his guests. After Brahe died in 1680 it was stripped of its furnishings, and on 29 September 1708 a fire from Uppgränna burned it to the ground.

Per Brahe the Younger founded Gränna in 1652 and had its streets laid out pointing toward Brahehus, so the town and the castle stayed in view of each other. The court painter Johan Johansson Werner decorated the interiors with scenes from Ovid's mythology, a painting of the Battle of Lützen and portraits of Brahe's ancestors.

The ruins are accessible via a rest area along the E4 highway with a short walking path to the site. The area is free to visit and trails are generally well marked for easy navigation.

The northern of the two towers held a garrison of twelve guards, along with the castle's weapons store and possibly a prison cell in its cellar. The southern tower, by contrast, contained the well and probably the kitchen.