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The fortress was improved during the 16th century under the direction of King Gustav I Vasa (reg 1523-60) and his sons King Erik XIV (reg 1560-68) and King John III (reg 1568-92), who turned the medieval fortress into a castle fit for a Renaissance king. The German architect Jakob Richter was charged with the reconstruction in 1555.
King Erik, was focused mainly on castle's interiors and smaller buildings, situated around the castle, designed for recreation and relaxed time. John III ordered to build three-storey warehouse, castle dwell in 1579 and castle chapel in 1592.
While the Golden Hall was King's reception room, the Queen was seeing her guests in the Checkered Hall. In 1585 intarsia paneling was installed there. The paneling was created after a continental model, but it was constructed by Swedish carpenters. The intarsia contains 17 types of wood. The hall probably had a coffered ceiling, but today nothing of it remains.
The photo shows the Checkered Hall.
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