Kajaani Castle

The Kajaani Castle (Finnish: Kajaanin linna, Swedish: Kajaneborg, Kajaneborgs slott, older spelling Cajanaborg) is a ruined fortress built of granite in Kajaani. The castle was built in the early 17th century on an islet in the Kajaani River, between the Ämmäkoski and Koivukoski rapids in Kainuu, present-day Finland. It was the last medieval-style stone castle constructed in Sweden.

The castle was built at a strategically valuable site to protect the region of Kainuu which had been ceded to Sweden in the Treaty of Teusina in 1595. Construction was started by king Charles IX of Sweden in 1604. Construction progressed slowly, and king Gustav II Adolf ordered its interruption in 1619. The incomplete castle was first used as a prison.

The castle experienced its peak during the tenure of Count Per Brahe the Younger from 1650s to 1670s. The town of Kajaani was founded in 1651 next to the castle, and plans were made to transform the castle into a noble residence. However, in 1681, the fief was abolished during the Great Reduction, and the castle reverted to serving as a simple administrative center for Sweden's northernmost territories. During the Great Northern War, Russian forces besieged the castle and destroyed it with explosives in 1716. Today, only its roofless ruins remain.

Tekst overgenomen uit “Kajaani Castle” op de Engelstalige Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Kajaani Castle staat op plaats 1.598 van 5.793 in de bekendheidsranglijst van deze atlas en op plaats 10 van de 20 die de atlas in Finland in kaart brengt. Gebouwd in 1604, en daarmee ouder dan 35% van de gedateerde bouwwerken in de atlas — een van de 399 bouwwerken in de atlas die uit de 17e eeuw stammen. Zie hoe dat zich verhoudt in de kastelenstatistiek.

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