From the beginning of time this manor was called Sörbo and the valley upstream is still called Sörbo Valley. In the middle of the 17th century Magnus Gabriel De la Gardie acquired the manor. On these grounds the present castle with two wings was erected. The castle was named after Magnus Gabriel’s wife Maria Euphrosyne, the sister of King Karl X. It has been commonly assumed that Jean De la Valle was responsible for the design. There are many obvious similarities between Mariedal and other structures designed by De la Valle, in particular the Riddarhuset (House of Knights) in Stockholm, however, there is yet no proof of any connection between the buildings.
Legends tell of how when the castle was built that Maria wanted it to be erected in another place a few kilometers from its present locations so that a view over the mountain Kinnekulle could be seen. Workers had to transport the building material to the place that Maria had chosen, but during the night Magnus Gabriel had the material moved to its present location where he wanted the castle built. In the morning when Maria awoke and saw that the material was moved, Magnus explained to her that " It has to be the trolls that moved the material here". (Kinnekulle was known as a troll haunt.) Since the powers of the trolls had intervened, Maria thus submitted to her husband’s will.
Written accounts and the weather vane indicate the castle was built in 1666. The splendid interior of the castle provides stucco ceiling and wainscoting. A magnificent portrait collection of the Sparrerska family is displayed there.
Mariedal is now owned by the Virgin family and is counted as one of Västergötland’s finest castles.
Painted around 1750 by an unknown artist, probably Johan Pasch or Edvard Mandelgren, during this time Sven Sundberg was a gardener at the castle.
From: Sevärdheter i Västergötland:
Skaraborg 1997
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