The Aristocratic Landscape of the Middle Ages

14:15-14:45 Introduction: Topography of Power – Danish Castles and Manor Houses (Rainer Atzbach, AU)

14:45-15:00 Coffee break

15:00-16:00 Aristocratic Landscapes: Some Scandinavian examples (Martin Hansson, Lund University; abstract below)

16:00-16:30 Discussion

16:30 Wine reception

Abstract

The last decades have seen an increased awareness of the how the medieval aristocracy used the landscape to strengthen their social status. This discussion has mainly focused on examples from outside Scandinavia, where it has been shown how the landscape surrounding castles and manors were filled with elements of both symbolic and functional values. Mills, fishponds and watery landscapes as well as religious institutions were founded by the lord of the castle in order to embed a social order in the landscape. In a similar manner the economical and functional landscape with farms and hamlets were reorganized.

In this paper I would like to present what an aristocratic landscape consisted of and what it was meant to symbolize. The paper will present some Scandinavian examples where varieties of this type of landscape can be found.