The Vasa era
Gustav Vasa and his sons rebuilt the medieval castles as powerful fortresses and, in time, as Renaissance palaces.
After the Reformation the Crown confiscated the Church’s property, and the great building projects became the king’s. Gripsholm, Vadstena, Kalmar and Uppsala received round towers for cannon and thick walls.
John III wanted palaces and had builders from Italy and the Netherlands give the castles of Kalmar and Vadstena Renaissance portals, gables and halls. The forms usually came by way of German and Netherlandish pattern books rather than directly from Italy. Vadstena Castle, begun in 1545, was not completed until 1620.