Aalholm

Aalholm, also Aalholm Castle (Danish: Aalholm Slot), is a castle and country estate in Nysted in the municipality of Guldborgsund, on the south coast of the island of Lolland, Denmark. It is the oldest castle on the island, first mentioned in the 1329. The main building was built in 1300–1585, with major rebuilding especially in 1768 and in 1889 under Hans Jørgen Holm and Gotfred Tvede. Inscriptions in the building show that it was originally completed in 1585.

History

The castle was initially the seat of the king's vassal or lensmand, and thus the centre of local government. It is not known when the castle was founded, but for historical reasons, it was probably around 1200. During this period, a number of royal castles were built across the country to strengthen the king's power in the regions and guard against attack. They include Koldinghus, Riberhus, Copenhagen Castle, Næsbyhoved Castle near Odense, Sønderborg and Nordborg on the island of Als, Tårnborg near Korsør, Nyborg, Gurre Castle and Søborg in the north of Zealand, Ravnsborg in northern Lolland and many more.

Aalholm was located on a very favorable site, standing on a little island in the inlet known as Nysted Nor. Completely surrounded by water, it was protected from the open sea although ships of all kinds could sail right up to the island, provided they had crews conversant with the channel to be followed. Not far to the north and west, there was fertile land where produce could be grown for the castle, with a surplus for the vassal and the king. Moreover, Nysted Nor was the only suitable site for a building of the kind between Nakskov in the south of Lolland and Stubbekøbing in the northeast of Falster.

The importance of the area at the time can also be appreciated from the fact that the Franciscan monastery in Nysted, built in 1286, was the only one on the islands, especially as the Franciscans always settled in thriving, populated areas where they could rely on the support of the inhabitants.

However, it is impossible to trace the early history of the castle as there are no written...