Charlottenborgs slott

**Charlottenborg Castle

Charlottenborg Castle was built by Ludwig Weirch Lewenhaupt (1622-1668) and completed in 1652. Ludwig named his newly built castle after his wife Charlotte von Hohenlohe-Neuenstein (1626-1666). Charlotte was a German countess whom Ludwig met in Germany and the couple had eight children together.

After the death of his parents, Charlottenborg Palace passed to his son Adam Lewenhaupt (1659-1718). He was an officer in Charles XII's army, but was captured by the Russian army and died in a Russian prison. In the mid-18th century, Charlottenborg Castle was owned by Carl Gustaf Boije of Gennäs. He had large water troughs installed on the third floor of the castle to grow cyprinid fish. One cold winter, the tub froze, causing a major flood.

In 1790 the castle was sold to Israel Lagerfelt. The house was then in very poor condition and Lagerfelt had it extensively renovated. In the 1890s, the artist Carl-Erik Törner painted several works that can still be seen today. In 1959, Charlottenborg Castle and its associated land were purchased by Motala Municipality. It was a private residence until 1981. In 1984, Motala Musei- och Hembygdsförening started Motala Museum in the castle. They ran the museum until 2016 when Motala Municipality's Culture Unit took over. Today, exhibitions about Motala's history are shown in the castle.