Spøttrup Borg

About the museum

Spøttrup is first mentioned in 1404, when the knight Johan Skarpenberg ceded his estate to the bishopric of Viborg. The bishops at first administered their holdings in western Salling through bailiffs. The present castle was built no later than the mid-1520s under Bishop Jørgen Friis. With a double moat and a nine-meter-high rampart, it was then among the most modern fortifications in the realm and was meant to keep cannons at a distance.

After the Reformation, the king had the Catholic bishops arrested and confiscated Spøttrup. In 1579 the castle passed to Henrik Below, who came from Mecklenburg and converted it into a manor house; the stair towers in the courtyard and the ballroom in the south wing date back to him. From 1702 Axel Rosenkrantz had the dilapidated complex repaired. In 1784 the wealthy farmer Peder Nissen bought the castle; his son Nis Nissen became, as the frugal "Studekongen" (the bull king), one of the richest men in Jutland.

Under later owners Spøttrup fell increasingly into disrepair. After a fire in the farm buildings in 1937, the state bought the castle and lands; the land was divided among smallholders, the castle was restored by 1941, and ramparts and moats were reestablished. The museum opened on June 15, 1941. Today Spøttrup Borg belongs to Museum Salling. A visitor center shows an exhibition on the castle and the Reformation era, and in the park there are a medicinal herb garden and a castle-style playground.

Highlights

• Bishop's castle from the 1520s with double moat and high rampart
• Knights' hall and partly furnished rooms from the first half of the 18th century
• Exhibition on Bishop Jørgen Friis and the Reformation era in the visitor center
• Medicinal herb garden with its own exhibition
• Free castle playground in the park
• Medieval festival Bispens Marked in summer

Permanent exhibitions

• Borgen – A tour of the castle with moats, castle tower, knights' hall and rooms partly furnished with furniture from the first half of the 18th century.
• Spøttrup Borgs historie – Exhibition in the visitor center about the people of the castle, above all Bishop Jørgen Friis and the turbulent time before and during the Reformation.
• Lægeurtehaven – Exhibition at the medicinal herb garden about the actual and believed effects of healing plants.

Founded

1941

Operated by

Museum Salling

Director

Per Lunde Lauridsen (Museumschef Museum Salling)

Admission & discounts

Tickets are available only at the visitor center (Velkomstbygningen); they are scanned at the castle entrance. Park, medicinal herb garden, playground and museum shop are accessible free of charge.

Accessibility

• Partially wheelchair accessible
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom: no information
• Accessible parking: no information
• Service dogs welcome: no information
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

The castle itself can be difficult to get around for some visitors; according to the museum, the visitor center and park are well accessible.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide
• Hands-on stations
• Playground / play area

New castle-style playground in the park, free to use. From late March to the autumn holidays, a ghost hunt as a puzzle tour through the castle; during the autumn holidays, hands-on activities such as carding and spinning wool, sewing scent amulets and the puzzle hunt "Bispens Guld". On selected Sundays, family tours with a creative program; at All Saints', a ghost tour for children under 10. In summer, a knights' academy for families.

Getting there & parking

A 7 km hiking trail runs around the castle, past the lake, medicinal herb garden, bird tower, the old Vestsallingbanen railway line and the Pometet orchard in Rødding.

Amenities & dining

• Café: not available
• Restaurant: not available
• Museum shop

The visitor center sells ice cream, drinks, snacks, coffee and sweets; food you bring yourself is allowed, and food from outside can be eaten on site by arrangement. Museum shop with regional products (including castle beer, mead, honey), herb seeds, books and toys, also accessible without admission. Dogs on a leash are allowed in the visitor center and the outdoor grounds, but not in the castle. Smoking is not allowed at the castle.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this – please ask the museum directly.

Plan your visit