Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All Sweden Strängnäs The Lion of Gripsholm Castle
AO Edited

The Lion of Gripsholm Castle

This wonky bit of historical taxidermy is experiencing a second life online.

Strängnäs, Sweden

Added By
Henrik Johansson
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
CAPTION
The Lion of Gripsholm Castle.   hrnick / Atlas Obscura User
The Lion of Gripsholm Castle.   hrnick / Atlas Obscura User
The Lion of Gripsholm Castle.   hrnick / Atlas Obscura User
The Lion of Gripsholm Castle.   hrnick / Atlas Obscura User
  CoolCrab / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

A case of taxidermy gone terribly wrong and a lion, dead for centuries, once again coming to life online.

The reason the lion now on display at Gripsholm Castle first came to Sweden in the 18th century is a little unclear. When it came to Sweden, the animal was very much alive. Some claim that it was a gift from the "Bey of Algiers" while others claim that there was never any such person. Some sources suggest that it indeed was a gift to the Swedish king, Frederick I. Merely a small token of appreciation for the vast gifts Sweden gave to Algiers to ensure free and safe passage for Swedish ships. Whatever the reason, the lion was one of the first to find its way to Scandinavia and it was placed in the Royal Game Park at Djurgården in Stockholm.

After its death, the remains of the lion were sent to a taxidermist to be stuffed and mounted. The only problem was that a few years had passed since the lion died, and all that was left were a pelt and the bones. The taxidermist, who probably hadn't seen a live lion but only heraldic lions probably did his best, but the result was far from perfect.

Today the lion has once again come alive but this time online. It has its own Facebook page where it posts updates promoting exhibitions at Gripsholm Castle where it lives, send greetings at holidays and post whatever it might find interesting to an ever-growing fan base around the world.

Related Tags

Castles Taxidermy Animals

Know Before You Go

Gripsholm Castle is located in the town Mariefred. There are train connections to Läggesta a few kilometers away. From there you can take a bus (or even the narrow gauge heritage railway a few times every weekend). Mariefred is less than an hour away from Stockholm by train or car.  See the website for entrance prices. 

Community Contributors

Added By

hrnick

Edited By

CoolCrab, mfrenchie

  • CoolCrab
  • mfrenchie

Published

July 2, 2015

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • http://mentalfloss.com/article/27487/lion-gripsholm-castle
  • http://history.stackexchange.com/questions/7983/what-is-the-real-story-of-the-lion-of-gripsholm-castle
  • https://www.facebook.com/pages/Lejonet-p%C3%A5-Gripsholms-Slott/113607498385
  • http://www.kungahuset.se/besokkungligaslotten/gripsholmsslott
The Lion of Gripsholm Castle
Gripsholm Castle
Strängnäs, 64731
Sweden
59.25596, 17.219151
Get Directions

Nearby Places

'Hönstavlan' ('Picturesque Chickens')

Strängnäs Ö, Sweden

miles away

Marathon March

Sweden

miles away

Birka Viking Burial Mounds

Birka, Sweden

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Sweden

Sweden

Europe

Places 381
Stories 42

Nearby Places

'Hönstavlan' ('Picturesque Chickens')

Strängnäs Ö, Sweden

miles away

Marathon March

Sweden

miles away

Birka Viking Burial Mounds

Birka, Sweden

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Sweden

Sweden

Europe

Places 381
Stories 42

Related Places

  • Taxidermy dogs

    Bítov, Czechia

    Bítov Castle

    The castle in the romantic landscape of Podyjí houses what may be Europe's largest collection of taxidermy dogs.

  • Taxidermied Polar bear from Hudson Bay area - a former “problem bear”

    Grand Forks, British Columbia

    Alpine Taxidermy & Wildlife Museum

    A curated collection of hundreds of taxidermy animals from across British Columbia, Canada, and the rest of the world.

  • Thylacine taxidermy at the Australian Museum

    Sydney, Australia

    Thylacine Taxidermy

    A rare specimen of an iconic extinct animal in downtown Sydney.

  • Lonesome George at the American Museum of Natural History in New York

    Puerto Ayora, Ecuador

    Lonesome George at the Fausto Llerena Breeding Center

    An exhibition devoted to the life (and posthumous taxidermy form) of the last known representative of the Pinta Island Tortoises.

  • Duncan, British Columbia

    Hand of Man Museum

    A former elementary school houses one man's extensive collection of art, artifacts, and taxidermy.

  • A view of the enormous centerpiece of African animals

    Ritzville, Washington

    Lasting Legacy Wildlife Museum

    A diorama lover's dream world.

  • WNB Financial Winona MN African Safari Exhibit

    Winona, Minnesota

    WNB Financial African Safari Exhibit

    Hunting trophies and antique guns make up the unusual display at this Minnesota bank building.

  • Mountfitchet Castle walls and siege tower

    Stansted, England

    Mountfitchet Castle

    This reconstructed Norman castle is the world's most accurate, from location to livestock.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.