Brundlund Castle & Art Museum, Aabenraa

A moat-ringed castle at the edge of Aabenraa

Brundlund Castle rises above its water-filled moat in a pocket of greenery just west of Aabenraa’s old town, separated from the centre by a single road and a swath of parkland. The compact, whitewashed building has an almost homely scale, yet still carries the outline of a fortress, with its elevated position, dam and traces of former defensive earthworks. Mature trees frame views of the castle from the surrounding lawns, where the former moat now widens into a small lake alive with reflections and birdlife. Approaching across the tree-lined dam, you step from ordinary streets into a self-contained world. The island that once held a private garden is now an open public park, yet the sense of enclosure remains strong: the water, the curving banks and the low castle walls together create a calm buffer from urban bustle. In spring and summer, the lawns fill with wildflowers and leafy shade, while in autumn mist clings to the moat and the castle glows softly against bronze foliage.

From medieval stronghold to royal residence

The story of Brundlund begins in the early 15th century, when Queen Margrete I secured the right to build a new castle here as part of consolidating the Danish crown in Southern Jutland. The first, larger fortress has vanished, but its strategic hill above the town remains the foundation for the current building. Around 1530 King Frederik I raised the main castle we see today, combining gatehouse and residence in a single compact block at the heart of the fortified site. Over the following centuries, new rulers reshaped Brundlund to reflect changing tastes and purposes. In the late 1500s, the castle was remodelled in Renaissance style, with octagonal corner turrets, a stair turret and an open gallery adding decorative flourish to its defensive core. In the early 1800s the architect C.F. Hansen transformed the exterior again, stripping back some ornament and giving the building the clear lines and measured proportions of Neoclassicism. Through all these phases, Brundlund served as a seat of power for local administrators and a symbol of royal authority in the borderlands.

Castle rooms filled with Southern Jutlandic art

Since 1998 the castle has housed an art museum dedicated to Southern Jutland and the wider border region. The focus is on art from the late 18th century to the present, tracing how painters and sculptors here have responded both to local landscapes and to international movements. You move through a sequence of relatively small, characterful rooms rather than white cubes, with low ceilings, thick walls and creaking floors that make each gallery feel like a lived-in space. Two artists anchor the collection. Franciska Clausen, born in Aabenraa in 1899, experimented with avant‑garde currents from Constructivism to Surrealism; the museum holds thousands of her works, from bold geometric abstractions to intimate drawings. Alongside her, Golden Age painter C.W. Eckersberg and portraitist C.A. Jensen represent a more classical side of Danish art, connecting the region to the national canon. Temporary exhibitions rotate around these core strengths, often highlighting lesser-known artists whose lives and careers were shaped by this contested borderland.

A sculpture park wrapped around the moat

Outside, the castle park extends the museum experience into the open air. Contemporary sculptures are dotted among old trees, lawns and water, sometimes half-hidden along the shoreline, sometimes standing in clear sightlines towards the castle. Walking the circular paths, you catch alternating vistas: a figure framed by branches, a sleek abstract form mirrored in the lake, the castle itself rising behind a work in stone or metal. The park is free to wander even when the museum is closed, which makes it a popular place for quiet strolls and reflective benches. The dam built in the 18th century still carries you into the complex, flanked by rows of trees whose canopies meet overhead in summer. In winter, when leaves have fallen, the geometry of the castle and the curve of the moat feel more pronounced, and sculptures stand out in sharp silhouette against the pale walls and often leaden sky.

Café corners, creative rooms and family-friendly spaces

Inside the castle a small café offers hot and cold drinks, cakes and light snacks, opening onto a terrace that overlooks the park. On bright days chairs spill outside, turning the moat-side into a relaxed spot to linger after an exhibition. The café’s windows frame artworks in the garden, underscoring how closely the museum’s identity is tied to its landscape setting. A dedicated creative room invites children and adults to experiment with colour, form and collage, drawing inspiration from works they have just seen in the galleries. This space, included in the museum ticket, underscores the institution’s educational role and makes Brundlund particularly welcoming for families. Combined with the manageable size of the collection and the gentle loop through the historic rooms, it makes for an outing that blends culture, light play and fresh air in a single compact visit.