AN OLD CASTLE WTIH CENTRAL HEATING

Evening Post, Volume CXXV, Issue 148, 25 June 1938, Page 27

AN OLD CASTLE WTIH CENTRAL HEATING

"One of the most ancient castles of Skane,. southernmost province ol 'Sweden, has recently been opened to the public. Bays the "ChristiaaScience ■Monitor,"- . , ■ I i This is Glimmingehus, a stronghold Ifrom the' Middle Ages, whicK ;; Stands today practically as it was wheri? ; built. 'it is the only- ancient the 160 in this province of -casttes, which still has the original interior decoraj tions. Glimmingehus also is claimed to be the best preserved castle in Sweden.

The man who had Glimmingehus built was Jens Holgersen Ulfstand, one of the most prominent men Of his day in Denmark, and Adam van Duren directed the building. The foundationstone was laid on May 1, 1499. Glimmingehus has rather a formidable and gloomy exterior. Although it seems to have been built as a fortress, so far as is known it has never been used in battle. At the time when Glimmingehus was built Skane belonged to Denmark, but in 1675 the Swedish State appropriated the building and sent troops there to keep the marauders.of the neighbourhood in check. The following year, ;the Danish invasion was imminent/and it Was

realised that if the Danes managed to teke Glimmingehus it would be a difficult task for the Swedes to drive them away.; again. An order was therefore given to demolish the building. A quartermaster ,and twenty farmers began on June 16 to pull the castle down, but after, a hard day's work the leader realised that it would be impractical for him- to pull down thi» massive, house with so few men. He therefore, asked for 130 extra men, as well as mines and explosives, and pointed out at the same time that it would be both a costly and lengthy business. Fortunately, he never got the desired help, and when, two days later, he saw the Danish fleet sail past, Glimmingehus was saved and left intact. *

Glimmingehus has also been fortunate in escaping modern restoration attacks, and it is therefore unspoiled. 'It 1)«8 the oldest known and'preserved central heating system in the north. Beside the kitchen in the basement there is a deep, built-in fireplace, from which several canals lead to the rooms in the upper storeys, where they end in holes, which can be closed by round stones. The hot air thus sent up gave the big, cold halls a welcome heat.