Vreta Abbey

The abbey was founded by King Inge the Elder of Sweden and Queen Helena[1] on the orders of Pope Paschal II, which gives a date range for the foundation: Paschal became pope in 1099; the date of Inge's death is disputed, but probably occurred around 1105 or a little later.

The original buildings burned down in the early 13th century, but were rebuilt, and a new church was dedicated in the presence of Magnus III and Helvig of Holstein in 1289.

A second sister, Helena, widow of Canute V of Denmark, entered Vreta as a nun after her husband's death in 1157, and other members of the Swedish and Danish royal families were also here.

Vreta Abbey has entered folklore as the scene during the 13th century of a number of prominent abductions of girls for marriages disapproved of by their families.

In 1536, Gustav I gave the abbey and its assets to his Catholic mother-in-law Ebba Eriksdotter Vasa; she spent her last years here and died in 1549.