{{Short description|Manor house in Kalundborg Municipality, Denmark}} {{Infobox building | name = Lerchenborg | former_names = | alternate_names = | image = Lerchenborg.JPG | image_size = 240px | image_alt = | caption = Lerchenborg's main wing viewed from the gardens | pushpin_map = | pushpin_map_alt = | map_caption = | altitude = | building_type = | architectural_style = [[Rococo architecture|Rococo]] | structural_system = | cost = | ren_cost = | client = Christian Lerche | owner = | current_tenants = | landlord = | location = [[Kalundborg]] | address = | location_town = | location_country = [[Denmark]] | coordinates = {{coord|55|39|12.93|N|11|04|47.30|E|region:DK|display=inline,title}} | construction_start_date = 1743 | renovation_date = | demolished_date = | destruction_date = | height = | floor_count = | floor_area = }} '''Lerchenborg''' is a [[manor house]] located 4 km south of [[Kalundborg]] on the west coast of [[Zealand]], [[Denmark]].
==History== ===Origins=== The estate was established by [[Carl von Ahlefeldt]] in 1704 when he closed down the village of Østrup to establish Østrupgård from land that used to belong to [[Kalundborg Castle]].
In 1742 Østrupgård was acquired by general Christian Lerche (1692–1757).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.denstoredanske.dk/Danmarks_geografi_og_historie/Danmarks_geografi/Danske_slotte_og_herreg%C3%A5rde/Lerchenborg|title=Lerchenborg|language=Danish|publisher=Gyldendal|accessdate=2012-07-20}}</ref> The large estate included 7 manors, 13 churches and extensive woodlands, taking in practically all of Kalundborg Amt. Lerche constructed a new seat on the estate, probably assisted by [[Nicolai Eigtved]], Denmark's leading architect of the time.
Lerche received the [[Order of the Elephant]] in 1748 and was given status of count in 1752. He renamed his estate Lerchenborg in 1754 but did not establish it as a county (''grevskab'') which, since he had no direct heirs, would fall back to the king. Instead he founded a ''stamhus'' which secured succession rights for other lines of the Lerche family.
====19th century==== [[Image:Lerchenborg-.JPG|thumb|200px|left|Lerchenborg in the late 19th century]] In 1804, [[Christian Cornelius Lerche]] inherited Lerchenborg. On 26 May 1818, he was created Count of Lerchenborg, combining the estate with Aunsøgård, Mineslund, Asnæsgård, Lerchenfeld, [[Birkendegård]], [[Vesterbygaard]], Astrup and Davrup to form the County of Lerchenborg (''Grevskabet Lerchenborg'').
In 1862, [[Hans Christian Andersen]] stayed at Lerchenborg for a week as guest of Count C.A. Lerche.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.astoft.co.uk/andersenuk.htm#Lerchenborg|title=Hans Christian Andersen –Homes and Manor Houses|publisher=Astoft|accessdate=2012-07-27|archive-date=2012-08-23|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120823063107/http://www.astoft.co.uk/andersenuk.htm#Lerchenborg|url-status=dead}}</ref>
===20th century=== [[File:Lerchenborg, Aarby Sogn.jpg|thumb|Æerchenborg photographed by Kirchhoff.]] The county was dissolved in 1923 and the Lerchenborg estate passed out of the Lerche family's ownership in 1927. However, in 1952 it was reacquired by a member of the family, Christian Albrecht Frederik Lerche-Lerchenborg, and has been owned by the Lerchenborg counts ever since. Mineslund and Asnæsgården were sold off in connection with the reacquission..
==Architecture== Lerchenborg is a three-winged white-washed [[Rococo architecture|Rococo]] complex, consisting of a two-storey, seventeen bay main wing and two lower, detached lateral wings. The main wing has a three-bay [[Avant-corps|median risilit]] with a [[pediment|triangular pediment]] and corner projections of two bays with rounded pediments, all with Rococo decorations. The rear side is basically of the same pattern. There is a central entrance on each side of the building.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.astoft2.co.uk/lerchenborguk.htm|title=Lerchenborg|publisher=Astoft|accessdate=2012-07-25}}</ref>
==Interior== The house has fine Rococo style interiors. The [[hipped roof]]s on all three buildings are of [[slate]], although originally they had red tiles.
==Surroundings== The entire complex of main building, farm buildings and park form a strictly symmetrical unity in accordance with the aesthetic principles of the [[Baroque architecture|Baroque]]. On one side, the house is approached through a hierarchy of courtyards, formed by barns and stables, and on the other side the central axis of the complex continues through the park and into the countryside. The original French-style [[Baroque garden]] was designed by the Belgian-Danish architect and engineering officer Jean Baptiste de Longueville but most of it was adapted into an English-style [[landscape garden]] in the 19th century. Today the park has an area of 20 hectares.
==Owners== *(1300–1658) The Crown *(1658–1680) Gabriel Marselis *(1680–1703) Frants Marselis *(1703–1722) [[Carl von Ahlefeldt]] *(1722–1724) Ulrikke Amalie Danneskiold-Laurvig *(1724–1726) Christoffer Watkinson *(1726–1729) The estate of Christoffer Watkinsons *(1729–1742) John de Thornton *(1742–1757) Christian Lerche *(1757–1766) Amalie Margrethe Christiane Caroline Leiningen-Westerburg née Lerche *(1766–1798) Georg Flemming Lerche *(1798–1852) [[Christian Cornelius Lerche]]-Lerchenborg *(1852–1885) Christian Albrecht Lerche *(1885–1927) Christian Cornelius Lubbi Lerche-Lerchenborg *(1927–1928) J. Bruhn *(1928–1950) Peter Andreas Lund *(1950–1952) Enkefru Marie Lund *(1952) Statens Jordlovsudvalg *(1952–1970) Christian Albrecht Frederik Lerche-Lerchenborg *(1970–1985) Christian Alfred Vincents Lerche-Lerchenborg *(1985–Present) Christian Cornelius Knud Lerche-Lerchenborg
==See also== * [[Lerkenfeld]]
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== {{Commons category|Lerchenborg}} * [http://www.lerchenborg.dk/?docid=216 Official website] * [http://www.roverownersclub.dk/files/assets/109%20Rover%20Lerchenborg%20gods.pdf Lerchenborg]
{{Kalundborg Municipality}} {{Castles in Denmark}}
[[Category:Castles in Denmark]] [[Category:Manor houses in Kalundborg Municipality]] [[Category:Listed castles and manor houses in Denmark]] [[Category:Baroque architecture in Denmark]] [[Category:Listed buildings and structures in Kalundborg Municipality]] [[Category:Buildings and structures of the Lerche family]] [[Category:Houses completed in 1745]] [[Category:1745 establishments in Denmark]]