Sofiero Palace

After shopping, before leaving Helsingborg, we decided to go out to Sofiero for a quick afternoon visit, as the weather was stunning and I wanted to do something else than just shopping with this weekend.

It had been quite a while since we were here last, back in 2017 when we reunited with some of our Horsham friends here.

We took a walk in the gardens, which is really the main attraction. They had a special exhibition on display which we could enjoy:

The 80-meter long and five meter wide wall border is designed as a classic English Mixed Border, featuring a combination of perennials, bulbs, shrubs and annuals. It is divided into three different colour schemes, and the plantings are a mix of old favourites and new varieties of flowers.

In the past fresh produce was harvested here in the kitchen garden, but today it has a different focus. It is more for pleasure than practicality. The garderners place more emphasis on visual appeal and the vegetables grow in beautiful harmony.

The Royal Vineyard House, built around 1912 and constructed in the English style. Inside, various varieties of grapevines were planted. Over time they produced many delightful fruits for the royal family and even brought the King awards for his fine grapes.

Sofiero began as a royal summer residence in 1866, when Crown Prince Oscar and his wife Sophie moved in to a more modest version of the castle. After Oscar became King Oscar II, the castle was expanded into what we see today. 

In 1905, Sofiero was gifted to their grandson Crown Prince Gustav Adolf, and his bride Margareta of England. The couple, both passionate about gardening, were the ones transforming the grounds.

Gustaf became King Gustaf VI in 1950 and remained deeply involved in the park, planting over 5000 rhododendrons, many of which still bloom in the ravines of the castle. He spent every summer at Sofiero until his death in 1973.

That year, he bequeathed Sofiero to the city of Helsingborg. Today garderners and landscape designers work to preserve the legacy left by the crown prince couple, and visitors can enjoy the beauty of the castle park every year.

Inside the castle I really enjoyed the current exhibition called "Magnificent Majolica!", a tribute to the influential ceramic technique and trend majolica, as it appeared when it gained popularity in Sweden around the turn of the last century.

So colourful and in so many fun shapes!

It displayed majolica pieces from leading Swedish producers such as Rörstrand, Gustavsberg and Höganäsbolaget. Elegant, nature-inspired design in vivid colours.