Bornholm Part 3: Hammershus Castle

One of the main attractions in Bornholm aside from Krolle Bolle (a sort of soft serve icecream with an odd clown like cartoon marketing mascot) is Hammershus Castle, which is reportedly the largest castle ruin in Northern Europe. The oldest part of the castle was built sometime in the 12th century by the Archibishop of Lund (then Lund was Danish - now it is Swedish). Due to its hilltop location it was a key property for the various rulers of Bornholm for over 500 years.

According to a Bornholm tourism website the castle was more or less abandoned in the mid-1700s and for the next 75 years locals took advantage of its abandoned status to pillage materials from the area, stones, etc. Then in 1822 the castle was put on a list of historical buildings to be protected - and therefore the end of the legal pillaging (do those words go together?).

Here is a nice pic as you enter the castle premises














While eating our left-over-pizza-lunch at the castle Morten said "hey I think I see some Americans over there, you wanna go say hi?". Of course, I then replied "how do you KNOW they are Americans?" in an annoyed tone...But I am pretty sure he was right, what do you think?
















"Hi there pardner, I thought we was goin' to the Alamo. This don' seem much like the Alamo to me.."

Swords and shields...so much to miss about the Middle Ages...