# Rydhave

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**Rydhave** (also known as **Villa Rydhave**) is the official residence of the [American ambassador](/source/American_ambassador) to Denmark. The [villa](/source/Villa) is situated at Strandvejen 259, on the border between [Charlottenlund](/source/Charlottenlund) and [Skovshoved](/source/Skovshoved), [Gentofte Municipality](/source/Gentofte_Municipality). The depity ambassador resides at nearby Villa Søro (Strandvejen 190).

## History

### Early history

The house was built in 1885 for Emil Edvard Schnackenburg (1818–1894) and was designed by the architect [Vilhelm Petersen](/source/Vilhelm_Petersen).[1] Emil Edvard was the son of Carl Gotlieb Schnackenburg and Henriette Elisabeth Schnackenburg. He grew up on the family's estate in [Vejle](/source/Vejle), Brandbjerg, which was sold by his father in 1840.[2] He had later married to Caroline Marie Bracht (1829–1908), whose father, Henning Johannes Peter von Bracht, owned [Rydhave](/source/Rydhave_(manor_house)) at [Holstebro](/source/Holstebro).[3] Schnackenburg is later mentioned as the owner of a brickyard,[1] most likely Rydhave Brikyard at his father-in-law's estate.[4]

### Carl Drost, 1900–1918

Caroline Marie Schnackenburg sold Villa Rydhave to Carl Drost (1852–1926) in 1900.[1] He had made a fortune in the coal trade. In 1903, together with two partners, he bought Sindshvile at [Kvistgård](/source/Kvistg%C3%A5rd). A brickyard had just been constructed on the estate. Drost headed the operations until 1905.[5] Drost moved to [Hørsholm](/source/H%C3%B8rsholm) in 1918. He is buried in a large mausoleum at Hørsholm Cemetery.[6]

### Hansen, 1918–1942

In 1918, Drost sold Villa Rudhave to Christian G. Hansen (1863–1941). Hansen expanded the estate with a number of adjacent properties located to the north.[1] The house was subsequently expanded with the assistance of the architect Axel Høeg-Hansen. The garden was redesigned by Birger Errboe.

Hansen was originally from [Nordborg](/source/Nordborg) on Als. He served as chief executing officer of *Korn- og Foderstofkompagniet* from 1896 to 1933. He and the company's head office had moved to Copenhagen from [Aarhus](/source/Aarhus) in 1915. He was married to Annetta Stephania Rozzi.[7]

### World War II

In 1942, Villa Rydhave was sold to Ejendomsselskabet af 8' Juni 1932. On 15 December, it was acquired by Das Auswärtige Amt as a new home for [Werner Best](/source/Werner_Best).

### Residence for the American ambassador

After the liberation in 1945, Villa Rydhave was confiscated by the Danish government. Best was placed under [house arrest](/source/House_arrest) in the building. In 1946, it was acquired by the American government as the official residence of the American ambassador to Denmark.[1]

In 2022, an extensive renovation of the house began. As a result of the ongoing renovation, [Alan Leventhal](/source/Alan_M._Leventhal) resided in Villa Søro, a house from 1880 a little down the street (Strandvejen 190), which normally serves as residence for the deputy ambassador.[8] [Ken Howery](/source/Ken_Howery) resides at [Strandridergaarden](/source/Strandridergaarden) in [Vedbæk](/source/Vedb%C3%A6k).[9]

## References

1. ["Villa Rydhave – Strandvejen 259, Gentofte"](https://www.2920charlottenlund.dk/Rydhave/) (in Danish). *2920charlottenlund.dk*. Retrieved 18 June 2024.

1. ["Brandbjerg"](https://www.danskeherregaarde.dk/nutid/brandberg) (in Danish). *danskeherregaarde.dk*. Retrieved 18 June 2024.

1. ["Rydhave"](https://www.danskeherregaarde.dk/nutid/rydhave) (in Danish). *danskeherregaarde.dk*. Retrieved 18 June 2024.

1. ["Danske Teglværker"](https://teglvaerkshistorie.dk/Danske%20Teglvaerker.pdf) (in Danish). *teglvaerkshistorie.dk*. Retrieved 18 June 2024.

1. ["Sindshvile"](https://tikobkommune.dk/8192-2/) (in Danish). *tikobkommune.dk*. Retrieved 18 June 2024.

1. ["En tur på kirkegården"](https://www.hoersholmkirkegaard.dk/kirkegarden/en-tur-pa-kirkegarden) (in Danish). Hørsholm Kirkegård. Retrieved 18 June 2024.

1. ["Chr. G. Hansen"](https://biografiskleksikon.lex.dk/Chr._G._Hansen) (in Danish). Dansk Biografisk Leksikon. Retrieved 18 June 2024.

1. ["Den amerikanske ambassadørs bolig står tom"](https://www.sn.dk/art794168/gentofte-kommune/den-amerikanske-ambassadoers-bolig-staar-tom/) (in Danish). sn.dk. Retrieved 15 January 2026.

1. ["Afsløring: Vild luksus til Trumps mand i Danmark - bor i skandale-palæ"](https://ekstrabladet.dk/nyheder/politik/danskpolitik/afsloering-vild-luksus-til-trumps-mand-i-danmark-bor-i-skandale-palae/11057427) (in Danish). Ekstra Bladet. Retrieved 15 January 2026.

## Further reading

- Rude, Andreas (2012). *Rydhave: from private mansion to the residence of the U.S. Ambassador*. Embassy of the United States of America.

## External links

- [Renderings](http://www5.kb.dk/editions/any/2009/jul/editions/en/?utf8=%E2%9C%93&obj_id=1717255&locale=en&search_field=all_fields&q=Udvidelse+af+hus+og+oml%C3%A6gning+af+haveanl%C3%A6g+p%C3%A5+villa+Rydhave+for+konsul%2C+dir.+Chr.+Hansen%2C+1918+i+samarbejde+med+havearkitekt+Birger+Errboe+-+forslag+til+garagebygning%2C+chauff%C3%B8rbolig%2C+gartnerbolig%2C+portbygning%2C+lanterner+til+have+m.m.+-+huset+opf%C3%B8rt+1885+af+Vilhelm+Petersen&notBefore=&notAfter=) from the 1918 expansion

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Rydhave](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rydhave) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rydhave?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.