The Sonja and Lennart Bernadotte Plaza

Mainauers designed the “Sonja and Lennart Bernadotte Plaza” in the Flower Year 2009 in honour of their former lady of the island Countess Sonja Bernadotte ((†2008) and their former lord of the island Count Lennart Bernadotte (†2004).

The island was Count Lennart’s first proper home. Whenever the family returned from a long journey, Count Lennart wanted to pause when passing the Gardener’s Tower, to stop and look at the palace whose two side wings greeted him like open arms. This is why this spot beside the Archway Building is very special to the whole family. After Count Lennart’s death, the family decided it fitting to erect a bust of the count at his favourite spot facing the “open arms” of the palace.

The Sonja and Lennart Bernadotte Plaza invites you to spend a few quiet moments taking in the visual impressions. There are steles at the plaza which describe the most important stations of the couple’s life, many of which are connected to the island. The Count Lennart bust (made by Marianne Kieselbach) will be joined by a newly cast bust of Countess Sonja (made byWaldemar Schröder) looking together towards the palace.

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