Lilleborg on Bornholm – a 16-meter-high rocky outcrop

The ruins of Lilleborg Castle in Almindingen on Bornholm are mainly built of fieldstones and stand on a 16-meter-high rocky outcrop surrounded by the now partially dried-up lake Borresø. Lilleborg was enclosed by a thick wall, remains of which can still be seen. The lower part of the tower and the foundations of other buildings have also been preserved.

When Lilleborg Castle was built on Bornholm, the rock was surrounded by water and marshland on all sides, with just a single access route from the east connecting it to dry land. Compared with Gamleborg, the new castle was therefore much easier to defend and required a smaller garrison.

The foundations for the establishment of Hammershus were laid

In 1149, King Svend Grathe (1146–57) ceded most of Bornholm to the Church. Three of Bornholm's four districts passed to the Archbishop of Lund, leaving the king's influence and possessions confined to the western part of the island, in the district of Rønne. This laid the foundations for the subsequent establishment of the archbishopric's large castle, Hammershus, in the early 13th century at the northern tip of the island. The relocation of the king's castle from Gamleborg to Lilleborg should be understood in this context.

Covering an area of 2,600 m², Lilleborg was only about one-tenth the size of its predecessor, Gamleborg. Despite the castle's small size, archaeological excavations in 1820–22, during the period 1887–1928 and most recently in 1954–57 have yielded many fascinating finds.

Lilleborg today

A sturdy curtain wall around Lilleborg was in use for only about 100 years. In 1259, the castle was captured and burned down as a result of the power struggle between the monarchy and the Church. Today, you can see the remains of the curtain wall, the lower part of the tower and the foundations of other buildings.