Sweden is a small kingdom that has very many castles. For several centuries, the Swedish nobility was strong and during Sweden’s time as an empire, many castles were built throughout Sweden, especially in the southern parts of the kingdom. Crown Princess Victoria has visited Strömsholm Castle and the Strömsholm Riding School. The Crown Princess also met with students and staff at the riding school.
Strömsholm Castle is located not very far from the Swedish capital of Stockholm. The castle is owned and managed by the Swedish state and is part of the royal right of disposition. The castle was built on the initiative of the widowed queen Hedvig Eleonora and was completed in 1741.
Strömsholm’s castle`s history with horses is long. Already during King Gustav Vasa’s time, a stud farm was located on this site and during the Carolingian period, the activities were extensive. From 1868 until 1968, Strömsholm was the site of the army’s riding school. King Carl XI often stayed at Strömsholm. At a young age he received about twenty horses as a gift from the royal houses of Spain and France. He then commissioned portraits of his favorite horses by artist David Klöcker Ehrenstrahl. Most of the horse portraits adorn the national hall at Strömsholm Castle.
Crown Princess Victoria got an extensive tour around the castle and had plenty of time to study the important and very famous portrait painting. During the visit to Strömsholm’s castle, the Crown Princess received, among other things, a presentation of the program that has been developed to take care of the castle park and take part in the maintenance work that is going on of the old stone kitchen.
Today, Strömsholm is a horse centre with high school, vocational, folk high school and university education. Every year, traditionally large horse competitions are held in the castle park and its surroundings.
After lunch, the Crown Princess visited the riding school for a tour of the facility. During the visit, the Crown Princess met with representatives of all educations and received a review of the ongoing research conducted at the riding school.
