Augustenborg Castle

The origins of the castle date back to the 17th century. After the death of Duke Johann of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg in 1622, his son Alexander received the area around Sonderburg. His son Ernst Günther later acquired estates on Als and had a first castle built there between 1661 and 1663. This was named after his wife Auguste of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg and served as the ancestral seat of the Augustenborg line. In the 18th century, the family's possessions grew, but the costs of maintaining the court led to financial difficulties. Duke Friedrich Christian I rehabilitated the budget in 1764 through a contract with the Danish Crown, which secured him compensation and further estates. With these funds, the old castle was demolished, and a magnificent new building in the late Baroque style was erected between 1770 and 1776. The Augustenborgs maintained close relations with the Danish royal family, but in the 19th century, conflicts over claims to the throne escalated, culminating in the Schleswig-Holstein War in 1848. Duke Christian August II supported the rebels, after which the family had to leave the castle. It then served as a hospital and barracks before being sold to the Danish state in 1921 and converted into a psychiatric clinic in 1932.

Augustenborg Castle is located in Augustenborg, a district of Sønderborg (Sonderburg) in the Syddanmark (Southern Denmark) region, Denmark. It stands at an elevation of approximately 13 meters above sea level.

Today, Augustenborg Castle houses a psychiatric clinic. Due to this use, the interior rooms are generally not accessible to visitors, with the exception of the garden hall and the Duke's study, which are occasionally opened during guided tours. The castle chapel is accessible to visitors on weekdays during the summer months. A small exhibition on the history of the castle is located in the northern wing of the gatehouse. The courtyard area and the castle park are freely accessible at all times and regularly serve as a venue for music concerts.

• Sonderburg Castle (Schloss), approx. 6.7 km away
• Sandbjerg Slot (Schloss), approx. 7.5 km away
• Nordborg Castle (Schloss), approx. 14.8 km away
• Gråsten Castle (Schloss), approx. 17.5 km away