Castle ruins Ragnhildsholmen – a home of birds and memories (16 photos + 1 video)

These ruins of a castle in the wilderness are a sight that is both majestic and sad.





And the remains of ancient walls are a real delight for the souls of lovers of wild nature.



If you drive along the road that runs through the plain of the northern part of the Swedish island of Hisingen, then for an unprepared person, an encounter with the ruins of a castle will be a complete surprise. The fortress on the hill has survived many historical vicissitudes. And now it is a refuge for many different species of birds and other animals.





Ragnhildsholmen was a strategic fortress built by the Norwegian king Haakon V in the 13th century. Haakon and the Swedish king Magnus Ladulås maintained friendly relations. Haakon presented the fortress as a gift to the king's son, Duke Eric, in 1304. After some time, the friendship, as often happens, ended. And Haakon tried to get the gift back by force.



The fighting went on for some time. And Ragnhildsholmen was not used for very long - less than 100 years. The fortress was probably abandoned after a major fire. Some of the stones from the castle were probably moved to another fortress, Bohus, on the opposite bank of the river. It was not rediscovered until centuries later, in the 1800s, when a team of archaeologists led by Wilhelm Berg discovered coins, weapons, tools and other ancient artifacts at the site.



These days, the once majestic Ragnhildsholmen is a bird sanctuary. It is a real kingdom of nightingales, warblers and harriers, where instead of the ringing of swords, bird trills are heard.

A wonderful view opens up from the top of the hill. On one side you can see the flat terrain of northern Hisingen, on the other - the town of Kungjälv on the banks of the Nordre-älv River.