# Berritzgaard > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Berritzgaard > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Berritzgaard.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berritzgaard > Source revision: 1344071341 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) Estate in Lolland, Denmark Berritzgaard Berritzgard in 2007 Interactive map of the Berritzgaard area General information Type Estate Architectural style Dutch Renaissance Classification National listing of historic places Location Lolland, Denmark Completed 1382 Renovated 1890s The **Berritzgaard** estate and [manor house](/source/Manor_house) is one of the largest and best preserved [manor houses](/source/Manor_house) on the island of [Lolland](/source/Lolland) in [Denmark](/source/Denmark). The estate can be traced back to 1382, to its first owner, Markvard Pøiske. The estate developed from a village called "Berith", situated where the Berritzgaard [manor house](/source/Manor_house) now stands. Later, the Huitfeldt family purchased the estate. Jacob Huitfeldt and his wife Lisebeth Friis built the present [manor house](/source/Manor_house) that was constructed by [Hans van Steenwinckel the Elder](/source/Hans_van_Steenwinckel_the_Elder). Lisebeth Friis was widowed before the house was finished in 1586. The style of the house is in the [Dutch](/source/Renaissance_in_the_Netherlands) [Renaissance architectural style](/source/Renaissance_architectural_style) and Berritzgaard is considered to be the most unspoiled example of a [manor house](/source/Manor_house) from this style period in [Denmark](/source/Denmark). ## History ### Ownership by the Huitfeldt Family, Sale to Abraham Lehn In 1654, Joachim Gersdorff, the widower after Huitfeldt, sold the Berritzgaard estate to Hans Wilhelm von Harstall, who was the "Chosen Prince Christian's" stable master. His son, Christian Ulrich von Harstall, became [King Christian V](/source/King_Christian_V)'s Master of the Royal Stables. Because of his service to the Kingdom, he was given additional land to add to the Berritzgaard estate. This was the only time in the history of Berritzgaard that the estate was expanded by royal gift. After being widowed, his daughter sold Berritzgaard to Abraham Lehn (the Younger) in 1729. Johan Lehn, Abraham's the Elder's father, had emigrated to [Denmark](/source/Denmark) from the [Netherlands](/source/Netherlands). The Lehn family made their fortune in the [wine](/source/Wine) trade, grocery trade and in the [shipping](/source/Shipping) business, with Abraham Lehn the Elder being the director of the [Danish East India Company](/source/Danish_East_India_Company). Their primary import product was [tea](/source/Tea) from [Ceylon](/source/Ceylon). ### Creation of the Barony of Guldborgland Johan Lehn Abraham Lehn the Younger's son, [Poul Abraham Lehn](/source/Poul_Abraham_Lehn), created the [Barony](/source/Feudal_barony) of [Guldborgland](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Guldborgland&action=edit&redlink=1) from his holdings at Berritzgaard and the purchase of the Oreby Estate in 1775, combining all of his possessions northwest of [Sakskøbing](/source/Saksk%C3%B8bing). In the 1790s, much work was done on the grounds by Johan Christian Boas, a [German](/source/Germany) [landscape architect](/source/Landscape_architect) who brought knowledge on farming and crop rotation to the estate, including the use of clover as a rotation crop. His plans for the gardens at Berritzgaard won national prizes in [Denmark](/source/Denmark). According to tradition, Poul Lehn's only son out of his four children died when he fell out of a window at the Berritzgaard house, so the [Guldborgland](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Guldborgland&action=edit&redlink=1) [barony](/source/Feudal_barony) later went to Poul Lehn's granddaughter. She was Christiane Henriette von Barner, who after a short and very happy, but childless [marriage](/source/Marriage), was widowed in 1811. In 1820 she remarried [Colonel](/source/Colonel) Henrik Christian Rosenoern. Now in possession of the [Guldborgland](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Guldborgland&action=edit&redlink=1) [Barony](/source/Feudal_barony), [Colonel](/source/Colonel) Henrik Christian Rosenoern was given the title "[baron](/source/Baron)" with the name Rosenoern-Lehn for him and his descendants to bear. ### Abandonment of the House as a Family House Christiane Henriette had previously decided to move the headquarters of the [Barony](/source/Feudal_barony) of [Guldborgland](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Guldborgland&action=edit&redlink=1) to the more beautifully situated Oreby Estate and to restore the rather rundown castle there. To carry this out, Poul Lehn's [will](/source/Will_(law)), in which he had set aside a considerable sum of money to restore Berritzgaard's big detached wing, had to be changed. This was successful and Berritzgaard was abandoned in 1810 as living quarters for the Rosenoern-Lehn family and was not used as a family house for the next 160 years. Berritzgard in 1874 The house was left only partly furnished, now and then occupied by staff in the lower part of the house. The run down wing that was supposed to be restored was instead demolished, and Hans van Steenwinckel's fine house was allowed to stand untouched by changing architectural fashions. Occasionally the house was used for other purposes. In 1864 it was used as a hospital during the [Danish-Prussian War](/source/Danish-Prussian_War), and just after [World War I](/source/World_War_I) it was used as a refugee camp. In 1940-1943 the Danish army had a garrison that was taken over by the [German](/source/Germany) occupation forces. From 1945 to 1949 the house and the grounds were used as a refugee camp for [East Germans](/source/East_Germans). In the 1950s, a rug factory was operated on the grounds. Much of the land surrounding the estate were lost in the land redistribution in [Denmark](/source/Denmark) that took place in 1919-1921. Many large estates were broken into small plots and leased to farmers through the [Danish government](/source/Danish_government). ### Renovations of the House and Grounds One of the larger known renovations of Berritzgaard was in the 1890s where the existing leaded lights were added to mimic the [Rosenborg Castle](/source/Rosenborg_Castle) in [Copenhagen](/source/Copenhagen) and the windows on the first floor were shortened so they would "stand" on the decorative limestone border, which is set into the redbrick wall all around the house. During the same renovation, several blinded windows were re-established. The house was kept in basic repair until 1970 where Christiane Henriette's great-great grandchild (the present owner) converted the house to his private residence with a general restoring and refurnishing of the house. In the 1950s the public road "Kogangen" was moved from its immediate position north of the house to its present southern location between the house and the farm-building complex thus combining the gardens north and south of the house. At the same occasion the fragmented moat system was cleaned up and extended and a new moat was dug where the public road had run, thus combining the fragments. The old [Baroque garden](/source/Baroque_garden) north of the house was cleared of younger tree avenues and a fruit garden thus making room for the original double driveway avenue of lime trees planted sometimes in mid-18th century. This avenue frames the garden room beautifully and by making a "false" perspective gives an impression of a far view in an otherwise completely flat landscape. ### Complete Renovation and Reestablishment as a Private Residence The tiled roof was restored in the mid 1970s and during the last 30 years the house has been fully restored in respect to the national listing of historic places underwhich the house is placed. The house is a private residence and is not open to the public. ## Cultural references In 1950 a film was made on the property entitled "Historien om Hjortholm." ## List of owners - (1300- ) Slægten Pøiske - (1382- ) Markvard Pøiske - (1400- ) Hartvig Pøiske - (1417-1478) Hans Pøiske - (1478-1479) Karen Andersdatter Jernskæg, gift 1) Pøiske - (1479-1502) Markvard Pøiske - (1502- ) Erik Olufsen Blaa - ( -1529) Otto Clausen Huitfeldt - (1529-1559) Christopher Ottosen Huitfeldt - (1559-1583) Jacob Christophersen Huitfeldt - (1583-1631) Lisbeth Friis, gift Huitfeldt - (1631-1652) Henrik Jacobsen Huitfeldt - (1652-1654) Øllegaard Huitfeldt, gift Joachim von Gersdorff - (1654-1680) Hans Vilhelm von Harstall - (1680-1719) Christian Ulrich von Harstall - (1719-1724) Dorothea von Harstall og Sophie Charlotte von Harstall, gift * von Körbitz - (1724-1726) Johan Christoph von Körbitz - (1726-1729) Sophie Charlotte von Harstall, gift von Körbitz - (1729-1757) Abraham Lehn - (1757-1804) [Poul Abraham Lehn](/source/Poul_Abraham_Lehn) - (1804-1809) Christiane Henriette Hartvigsdatter von Barner, gift 1) Kaas, 2) Rosenørn - (1809-1811) Otto Ditlev Kaas-Lehn - (1811-1820) Christiane Henriette Hartvigsdatter von Barner, gift 1) Kaas, 2) Rosenørn - (1820-1847) Henrik Christian Rosenørn-Lehn - (1847-1860) Christiane Henriette Hartvigsdatter von Barner, gift 1) Kaas, 2) Rosenørn - (1860-1892) Otto Ditlev Rosenørn-Lehn - (1892-1899) Christian Conrad Sophus Rosenørn-Lehn - (1899-1935) Frederik Marcus Rosenørn-Lehn - (1935-1970) Christian Carl Otto Rosenørn-Lehn - (1970- ) Fredrik Andreas Rosenørn-Lehn ## References ## External links - [Denmark's Castles and Manor Houses (in Danish)](http://www.reitoft.dk/slotte.html) - [Lolland's Manor Houses (In Danish)](https://web.archive.org/web/20070928060632/http://www.lollands-herregaarde.dk/berritzgaard.html) - [Danish Film Database (In Danish)](https://www.danskefilm.dk/index2.html) v t e Lolland, Denmark Towns and villages Bandholm Birket Branderslev Dannemare Guldborg Holeby Horslunde Hunseby Kettinge Maribo Nagelsti Nakskov Nørreballe Nysted Øster Ulslev Rødby Rødbyhavn Sakskøbing Sandby Søllested Stokkemarke Sundby Toreby Localities Albuen Culture and attractions Fuglsang Art Museum Fuglsang Cultural Centre Knuthenborg Safaripark Lalandia Maribo Open-Air Museum Middelaldercentret Reventlow Museum Stiftsmuseum Maribo Churches Arninge Church Avnede Church Bandholm Church Birket Church Dannemare Church Errindlev Church Frederiksdal Fuglse Church Gloslunde Church Halsted Church Horslunde Church Hunseby Church Købelev Church Maribo Cathedral Nakskov Church Olstrup Church Østofte Church Sandby Church Sakskøbing Church Stokkemarke Church Tågerup Church Tillitse Church Toreby Church Manor houses Aalholm Berritzgaard Bramsløkke Christianssæde Engestofte Fredholm Halsted Priory Højbygård Knuthenborg Knuthenlund Krenkerup Lungholm Orebygaard Pederstrup Rudbjerggaard Sæbyholm Søholt Søllestedgård Vindeholme Other landmarks Gloslunde Rectory Kattinge Windmill Kong Svends Høj Nakskov Old Pharmacy Oreby Mølle Reventlow Asylum Reventlow Warehouse Geography Guldborgsund Maribo Lakes Nature Reserve Nakskov Fjord History 1872 Baltic Sea flood Maribo Abbey Nysted Friary Transport Danish national road 9 E47 Fehmarn Belt fixed link Frederick IX Bridge Guldborgsund Bridge Lolland Falster Airport Scandlines South Line Other Diocese of Lolland–Falster Guldborgsund Municipality Lolland Municipality v t e Castles and manor houses in Denmark Capital Region Amalienborg Arresødal Bernstorff Palace Christiansborg Farumgård Fredensborg Frederiksberg Frederiksborg Jægerspris Kronborg Rosenborg Selsø Sorgenfri Svanholm West and South Zealand Borreby Bregentved Dragsholm Eriksholm Gammel Køgegård Gavnø Gisselfeld Gjorslev Gyldenholm Holsteinborg Jomfruens Egede Ledreborg Lerchenborg Knabstrup Nysø Rosenfeldt Rønnebæksholm Skjoldnæsholm Torbenfeldt Vallø Vedbygård Vemmetofte Lolland-Falster Aalholm Berritzgaard Corselitze Fuglsang Klintholm Manor Knuthenborg Krenkerup Liselund Orupgaard Pederstrup Rudbjerggaard Funen Brahetrolleborg Broholm Dallund Egeskov Glorup Hesselagergård Holckenhavn Hvedholm Hvidkilde Krengerup Lykkesholm Nyborg Rønninge Søgård Skovsbo South Jutland Augustenborg Engelsholm Gråsten Haderslevhus Nordborg Sandbjerg Schackenborg Sønderborg Castle Central Jutland Bygholm Clausholm Frijsenborg Gammel Estrup Hald Katholm Meilgaard Nørre Vosborg Rosenholm Skrøbelev Spøttrup Tjele Ulstrup North Jutland Aalborghus Børglum Dueholm Dronninglund Højrus Kongstedlund Kokkedal Odden Store Restrup Voergaard [54°49′17″N 11°39′56″E / 54.82139°N 11.66556°E / 54.82139; 11.66556](https://geohack.toolforge.org/geohack.php?pagename=Berritzgaard¶ms=54_49_17_N_11_39_56_E_source:dawiki_region:DK_type:landmark) --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Berritzgaard](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berritzgaard) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berritzgaard?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.