Sønderborg Castle

As it lies to the south of the isle of Als, it was named Sønderborg, literally "southern fortress" (compare English "Sudbury").

In the years following construction of Valdemar's fortified tower, an important struggle developed between the Danish king and the duke of Schleswig over ownership of the island of Als and the town of Sønderborg.

Both King Hans and his son Christian II extended Sønderborg Castle and made it into one of the country's strongest fortresses.

Legend tells that the dethroned king was confined to the Blue Tower, but in reality he lived in comparatively lavish circumstances and probably was allowed freedom of movement within the outer walls, if sometimes under closely guarded conditions.

[3] [4] Christian III in the mid-sixteenth century had the fortress modified and converted into a four-wing castle by architect Hercules von Oberberg (1517–1602) between 1549-57.

After Christian III's death in 1559, Hercules von Oberberg built the unique castle chapel in 1568-1570 for Queen Mother Dorothea.

The Royal Inspectors of Listed State Buildings, Peter Koch and Jørgen Stærmose, conducted a thorough restoration of the castle from 1964 to 1973, returning it to the Baroque form it had been given by Frederik IV in the 1720s.

The museum also hosts exhibitions on navigation, textiles and handicrafts, and has a small art collection with works by prominent Southern Jutland painters over the years.

[10] One of the royal couple’s sons, John II, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg (1545–1622) had a burial room built in the chapel with an imposing portal of marble and alabaster.

[12] Under the west gallery of the chapel there is a choir loft over which there was originally a royal chair; this disappeared when the organ was built in its present position in 1626.

The Great Hall (Riddersal) is 34 meters long and was the reception room for ducal guests, and the scene of parties and dances.

The room is still used for special events, such as in connection with the marriage of Queen Margrethe II's niece, Princess Alexandra of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg to Count Jefferson-Friedrich von Pfeil und Klein-Ellguth in 1998.