Runsa slott

RUNSA SLOTT, Ebba's hood.

Ebba Brahe is best known as the young love of Gustav II Adolf. She did not get her king but, alongside the king's daughter Queen Kristina, made a name for herself as one of the most energetic women of the Swedish era of great power. She is said to have received Runsa manor as a gift when she married Jakob de la Gardie. At a mature age, she hired the leading architect of the time, Jean de la Vallée, to create the current castle, beautifully set in the Mälar landscape. It takes the form of a series of interconnected pavilions, crowned with curved hoods like de la Vallée's knight's house in Stockholm. The castle is still private property and inhabited, now by the Ankarcrona family. A bit before we arrive at the castle on our detour from Ingegerdsleden, we can turn right on a signposted path past a stately, 54 m long ship, one of Sweden's largest. It may have been used for cult activities during the Iron Age. If we continue forward/upwards, we reach an ancient castle with a brilliant view over Sigtunafjärden towards Sigtuna town. Ancient castles, simple walls of rough stone, have been built for various purposes, often as a refuge for a village population in times of unrest. This one has been excavated and appears to be a fortified manor house with solid buildings, which was in use at the same time as Sigtuna's first heyday. Perhaps the castle was part of the city's outer defense, a so-called "fairway castle"? Today it is a lovely resting place with greenery and space for hikers.

Like the lily in its meadow, like the bird high in the sky Like the star in its space, I am for you. You measure all my years, you count the hairs of my head. I grow in the land of your presence, you carry me in your hand.

Sv Ps 798:1 by Jan-Arvid hellström.

From "Ingegerdsleden: Pilgrimage route for spirituality, culture and peace" published by the Church of Sweden. Available as PDF: https://www.svenskakyrkan.se/filer/Ingegerdsleden_bok.pdf