# Nordborg Castle

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Small castle in Sønderborg Municipality, Denmark

Nordborg Slot

**Nordborg Castle** ([Danish](/source/Danish_language): *Nordborg Slot*) is a small [castle](/source/Castle) which lies on the southern side of Nordborg Lake (*Nordborg Sø*) in [Nordborg](/source/Nordborg) on the island of [Als](/source/Als_Island) in [Sønderborg Municipality](/source/S%C3%B8nderborg_Municipality), [Denmark](/source/Denmark). The castle premises are currently used by Nordborg Slots Efterskole as a [boarding school](/source/Boarding_school). Nordborg Castle has also been the backdrop for a number of years for Nord-Als Musikfestival. [1]

## Founding and early history

According to [Saxo](/source/Saxo_Grammaticus), Nordborg Castle was founded by King [Svend Grathe](/source/Sweyn_III_of_Denmark) (c. 1125–1157) under the name **Alsborg**. Hence, it can be dated to around 1150. Alsborg was built while the [Wends](/source/Wends) still dominated the Danish coast; its location a few kilometers inland meant that the castle could not be attacked without warning, and the local population had a better chance of taking refuge there. [2]

The first written evidence of Alsborg is from the end of the 12th century. From this, it is known that [Bishop Valdemar of Slesvig](/source/Valdemar_of_Denmark_(bishop)) (1158-1236) was held prisoner at Alsborg between 1192 and 1197. [3]

After [Sønderborg Castle](/source/S%C3%B8nderborg_Castle) was built at the south end of the island of Als (ca. 1158), Alsborg was renamed **Nordborg**, literally "northern fortress" (compare English "[Norbury](/source/Norbury)"). Nordborg was for a large part of the [Middle Ages](/source/Middle_Ages) the property of the king, and was on several occasions a source of income for the king's widow.

In 1571, [King Frederick II](/source/Frederick_II_of_Denmark)’s brother [Hans the Younger](/source/John_II%2C_Duke_of_Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg) (1545–1622) inherited his mother [Queen Dorothea](/source/Dorothea_of_Saxe-Lauenburg)'s possessions of [Als](/source/Als_(island)) and [Sundeved](/source/Sundeved) including Nordborg. Hans was an enterprising man, who in the next 50 years constantly expanded and improved his properties. There was a series of building projects in and around Nordborg Slot.[4]

Upon Hans' death in 1622, his possessions were divided into separate dukedoms, including Nordborg, which went to his son [Hans Adolf](/source/John_Adolph%2C_Duke_of_Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Norburg) (1576-1624). Hans Adolf died only two years later and so the dukedom then went to Hans the Younger's other son [Frederik](/source/Frederick%2C_Duke_of_Schleswig-Holstein-S%C3%B8nderburg-Norburg) (1581-1658). [5] [6]

## Occupation and fire

Nordborg was occupied several times during the [Swedish wars](/source/Second_Northern_War), first by the [Swedes](/source/Swedish_Empire), then by the [Brandenburgian](/source/Brandenburg-Prussia) and [Polish](/source/Polish%E2%80%93Lithuanian_Commonwealth) troops and finally by Swedish troops until [peace came in 1660](/source/Treaty_of_Copenhagen_(1660)).

In 1665 fire broke out in the castle, and it burnt down. Duke Hans Bugislav (1629-1679) went bankrupt and forfeited his estate, which reverted next to August, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Plön (1635-1699). In 1678 rebuilding of the castle began, and at this time the ducal [coat-of-arms](/source/Coat-of-arms) was placed over the castle entrance. In 1730, Nordborg was taken back into crown possession. Nordborg had an estate of around 400 hectares, but in the following decades the land was turned into farms and in 1766 the castle was sold to a private owner and some of the buildings were demolished and sold for building materials. [7]

## High school and boarding school

In 1909 the castle was purchased by Nordborg town. It was the pro-German Mayor Klinkers' dream to build a high school, which would be a counterweight for the Danish high schools north of the border. The castle was thereafter restored by the architect Eugen Fink, and in 1910 the castle was leased out to the German high school association in [Northern Schleswig](/source/South_Jutland_County).

After the reunification in 1920 the castle was bought by the merchant Johan Hansen (1845-1928). He established at foundation (*Stiftelsen Nordborg Slot*) which since 1922 has run the boarding school, Nordborg Slots Efterskole, at the castle.

## Owners of Nordborg Castle

- (ca. 1150-1490) Between the Crown and the Sønderjyske dukes

- (1490-1564) the Crown

- (1564-1622) Duke Hans den Yngre

- (1622-1624) Duke Hans Adolf

- (1624-1658) Duke Frederik

- (1658-1669) Duke Hans Bugislav

- (1669-ca. 1672) the Crown

- (ca. 1672-1676) Johan Adolf of Pløn

- (1676-1699) Duke August of Nordborg-Pløn

- (1699-1722) Duke Joachim Frederik

- (1722-1729) Arvingerne til Duke Joachim Frederik

- (1729-1766) the Crown

- (1766-?) Hans Bugislav Carstens

- (?-1830) various owners

- (1830-?) Momme Steffens

- (?-1909) unknown owner

- (1909-1921) Nordborg town

- (1921) Johan Hansen

- (1921-) Nordborg Slot Foundation

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** ["Nordborg Slot"](https://www.kroneborg.dk/280/nordborg-slot). *kroneborg.dk*. Retrieved August 1, 2020.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["Svend 3. Grathe"](https://denstoredanske.lex.dk/Svend_3._Grathe). *Den Store Danske*. Retrieved August 1, 2020.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["Valdemar (Knudsen), Biskop af Slesvig"](https://runeberg.org/dbl/18/0195.html). *Dansk biografisk Lexikon*. Retrieved August 1, 2020.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["Hans (den yngre), Hertug af Sønderborg"](https://runeberg.org/dbl/6/0574.html). *Dansk biografisk Lexikon*. Retrieved August 1, 2020.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** ["Hans Adolf, Hertug af Nørborg"](https://runeberg.org/dbl/6/0576.html). *Dansk biografisk Lexikon*. Retrieved August 1, 2020.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** ["Frederik, Hertug af Nørborg (Nordborg)"](https://runeberg.org/dbl/5/0342.html). *Dansk biografisk Lexikon*. Retrieved August 1, 2020.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** ["August, Hertug af Nørborg"](https://runeberg.org/dbl/1/0395.html). *Dansk biografisk Lexikon*. Retrieved August 1, 2020.

## External links

- [Nordborg Castle](http://www.kulturarv.dk/1001fortaellinger/da_DK/nordborg-slot) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20100508195157/http://www.kulturarv.dk/1001fortaellinger/da_DK/nordborg-slot) 2010-05-08 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine) on the *1001 stories about Denmark* website (Danish language)

- [Nord-Als Musikfestival website](https://www.musikfestival.dk/)

- [Nordborg Slots Efterskole website](http://nse.dk/)

v t e Castles and manor houses in Denmark Capital Region Amalienborg Arresødal Bernstorff Palace Christiansborg Farumgård Fredensborg Frederiksberg Frederiksborg Jægerspris Kronborg Rosenborg Selsø Sorgenfri Svanholm West and South Zealand Borreby Bregentved Dragsholm Eriksholm Gammel Køgegård Gavnø Gisselfeld Gjorslev Gyldenholm Holsteinborg Jomfruens Egede Ledreborg Lerchenborg Knabstrup Nysø Rosenfeldt Rønnebæksholm Skjoldnæsholm Torbenfeldt Vallø Vedbygård Vemmetofte Lolland-Falster Aalholm Berritzgaard Corselitze Fuglsang Klintholm Manor Knuthenborg Krenkerup Liselund Orupgaard Pederstrup Rudbjerggaard Funen Brahetrolleborg Broholm Dallund Egeskov Glorup Hesselagergård Holckenhavn Hvedholm Hvidkilde Krengerup Lykkesholm Nyborg Rønninge Søgård Skovsbo South Jutland Augustenborg Engelsholm Gråsten Haderslevhus Nordborg Sandbjerg Schackenborg Sønderborg Castle Central Jutland Bygholm Clausholm Frijsenborg Gammel Estrup Hald Katholm Meilgaard Nørre Vosborg Rosenholm Skrøbelev Spøttrup Tjele Ulstrup North Jutland Aalborghus Børglum Dueholm Dronninglund Højrus Kongstedlund Kokkedal Odden Store Restrup Voergaard

v t e Castles in Denmark Aalborghus Aalholm Amalienborg Borreby Castle Christiansborg Palace Clausholm Castle Copenhagen Castle Dragsholm Castle Dronninglund Castle Egeskov Castle Engelsholm Castle Frederiksborg Castle Gamleborg Gammel Estrup Manor Gammel Ryomgård Gavnø Gjorslev Haderslevhus Holckenhavn Castle Hvedholm Castle Jægerspris Castle Kalø Castle Katholm Castle Koldinghus Kongsgård Kronborg Lerchenborg Lilleborg, Bornholm Liselund Lykkesholm Castle Marienlyst Castle Meilgaard Castle Nordborg Castle Nykøbing Castle Rosenborg Castle Rosenholm Castle Schackenborg Castle Sønderborg Castle Valdemar's Castle Vallø Castle Voergaard Castle Vordingborg Castle Also See: Castles in Denmark

[55°03′32.6″N 9°44′54.6″E / 55.059056°N 9.748500°E / 55.059056; 9.748500](https://geohack.toolforge.org/geohack.php?pagename=Nordborg_Castle&params=55_03_32.6_N_9_44_54.6_E_type:landmark_region:DK)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Nordborg Castle](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nordborg_Castle) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nordborg_Castle?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.