# Tidö Castle

- **Country:** Sweden
- **Coordinates:** 59.505600, 16.478300
- **Condition:** Private residence
- **Year Built:** 1645
- **Location Text:** Västmanland

Tidö Castle is a historic estate situated 17 kilometers south of Västerås in the Västmanland region of Sweden. While the site originally hosted a medieval house built by the Gren family in the fifteenth century, the current structure was constructed between 1625 and 1645. Commissioned by Axel Oxenstierna, a prominent statesman and Lord High Chancellor, the palace was designed in the Dutch Renaissance style and is recognized today as one of Sweden's best-preserved Baroque residences. The architectural layout features a main building to the north with three linked wings enclosing a rectangular courtyard, with the primary entrance accessed through a vault in the southern wing.

The property has remained in the possession of the von Schinkel family since they purchased it in 1889. For several decades, the castle housed a renowned toy museum founded by Carl-David von Schinkel, which included royal artifacts and comic collections. Although this specific museum relocated to Stockholm in 2017 to become part of the Bergrummet institution, the castle itself remains a significant cultural landmark. Minor ruins of the original medieval structure can still be observed adjacent to the present building, offering a physical link to the site's long history prior to Oxenstierna's grand reconstruction.

In recent years, Tidö Castle gained renewed international attention for its political significance rather than just its architectural heritage. Following the 2022 Swedish general election, the leaders of four right-wing parties convened at the estate to negotiate the Tidö Agreement. These talks were instrumental in allowing Moderate Party leader Ulf Kristersson to form a new government supported by the Sweden Democrats. This event cemented the castle's name in modern Swedish political history, adding a contemporary layer to its centuries-old legacy as a seat of power and negotiation.

![Photo of Tidö Castle](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3a/Tid%C3%B6_slott.jpg)

**Source:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tidö_Castle (Wikipedia, CC BY-SA)