Holckenhavn Castle
Encyclopedia
Holckenhavn Castle is a manor house
located next to Holckenhavn Fjord, an arm of the Great Belt
, just south of Nyborg
on the east coast of Funen
, Denmark
. The current Renaissance
castle was built in the late 16th and early 17th century by three consecutive owners. Previously known both as Ulfeldtsholm and Ellensborg, it received its current name in 1672 when it was acquired by Eiler Holck
, who at the same time founded the Barony of Holckenhavn. The estate has been in the possession of his family ever since.
and its name was changed to Ulfeldtsholm.
after acquiring Egeskov Castle
. After being widowed for the second time a few years earlier, at the age of 39, Ellen Marsvin had turned to farming and became one of the largest land owners of her time. She expanded the castle with two more wings and carried out extravagant interior alterations.
Ellen Marsvin was the mother of Kirsten Munk
who was married to King Christian IV
until she fell into disfavour due to her infidelity and left the king. When Kirsten Munk died in 1658 the castle was passed on to their daughter Leonora Christina, whose husband, former Steward of the Realm Corfitz Ulfeldt
had joined forces with Sweden
in its invasion of Denmark. For this act of treason the couple was imprisoned at Hammershus
fortress on the island of Bornholm
. After their release in 1661 they took up residence at Ellensborg until they left the country in 1662 and the estate was confiscated.
, the commandant at Kronborg. He renamed it Holckenhavn and and founded the Barony of Holckenhavn (dissolved in 1921).
Holckenhavn is still in the posession of the Holck family.
style and built over the course of three generations. The north and east wings, as well as the gate wing, were completed by 1585. The large bell tower was added somewhat later. The master builder was probably Domenicus Badiaz.
Ellen Marsvin added the west wing in 1631 and a low south-facing gate wing in 1634. She is also responsible for a chapel installed in 1637 richly decorated with wood carvings by Hans Dreier, and a richly decorated knights' hall.
The main building was altered in the 18th and 19th ccentury and thoroughly refurbished from 1904 to 1910.
The site also includes a barn from 1629 which is the only surviving component of a farm which burned down in 1912.
Manor house
A manor house is a country house that historically formed the administrative centre of a manor, the lowest unit of territorial organisation in the feudal system in Europe. The term is applied to country houses that belonged to the gentry and other grand stately homes...
located next to Holckenhavn Fjord, an arm of the Great Belt
Great Belt
The Great Belt is a strait between the main Danish islands of Zealand and Funen . Effectively dividing Denmark in two, the Belt was served by the Great Belt ferries from the late 19th century until the islands were connected by the Great Belt Fixed Link in 1997–98.-Geography:The Great Belt is the...
, just south of Nyborg
Nyborg
Nyborg is a city in central Denmark, located in Nyborg Municipality on the island of Funen and with a population of 16,492 . Nyborg is one of the 14 large municipalities created on 1 January 2007...
on the east coast of Funen
Funen
Funen , with a size of 2,984 km² , is the third-largest island of Denmark following Zealand and Vendsyssel-Thy, and the 163rd largest island of the world. Funen is located in the central part of the country and has a population of 454,358 inhabitants . The main city is Odense, connected to the...
, Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
. The current Renaissance
Renaissance architecture
Renaissance architecture is the architecture of the period between the early 15th and early 17th centuries in different regions of Europe, demonstrating a conscious revival and development of certain elements of ancient Greek and Roman thought and material culture. Stylistically, Renaissance...
castle was built in the late 16th and early 17th century by three consecutive owners. Previously known both as Ulfeldtsholm and Ellensborg, it received its current name in 1672 when it was acquired by Eiler Holck
Eiler Holck
Eiler Holck was a Danish military officer, from 1671 with the title of baron.-Biography:Holck participated in the fightings at Frederiksodde in the Second Northern War and in the defense of Copenhagen ....
, who at the same time founded the Barony of Holckenhavn. The estate has been in the possession of his family ever since.
Early history
Originally known as Kogsbølle, the estate traces its history back to the late 14th century when it was owned by Anders Jacobsen Ulfeldt. The house remained in the possession of the Ulfeldt family for more than 200 years. The original house was located further inland but shortly after 1580 it was moved to its current position next to a small arm of the Great BeltGreat Belt
The Great Belt is a strait between the main Danish islands of Zealand and Funen . Effectively dividing Denmark in two, the Belt was served by the Great Belt ferries from the late 19th century until the islands were connected by the Great Belt Fixed Link in 1997–98.-Geography:The Great Belt is the...
and its name was changed to Ulfeldtsholm.
Ellensborg, 1616–1672
In 1616 Chancellor of the Realm Jakob Ulfeldt sold the old family estate to Ellen MarsvinEllen Marsvin
Ellen Marsvin was a Danish noble, landowner and county administrator. She was the mother-in-law of King Christian IV of Denmark as the mother of Kirsten Munk....
after acquiring Egeskov Castle
Egeskov Castle
Egeskov Castle is located in the south of the island of Funen, Denmark. The castle is Europe's best preserved Renaissance water castle.-History:Egeskov's history dates to the 14th century...
. After being widowed for the second time a few years earlier, at the age of 39, Ellen Marsvin had turned to farming and became one of the largest land owners of her time. She expanded the castle with two more wings and carried out extravagant interior alterations.
Ellen Marsvin was the mother of Kirsten Munk
Kirsten Munk
Kirsten Munk was a Danish noble, the second spouse of King Christian IV of Denmark, and mother to twelve of his children.- Early life and Morganatic marriage:...
who was married to King Christian IV
Christian IV of Denmark
Christian IV was the king of Denmark-Norway from 1588 until his death. With a reign of more than 59 years, he is the longest-reigning monarch of Denmark, and he is frequently remembered as one of the most popular, ambitious and proactive Danish kings, having initiated many reforms and projects...
until she fell into disfavour due to her infidelity and left the king. When Kirsten Munk died in 1658 the castle was passed on to their daughter Leonora Christina, whose husband, former Steward of the Realm Corfitz Ulfeldt
Corfitz Ulfeldt
Corfitz Ulfeldt , Danish statesman, son of the chancellor Jacob Ulfeldt.Corfitz Ulfeldt may also refer to:* Corfitz Ulfeldt , son of Danish diplomat Jacob Ulfeldt...
had joined forces with Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
in its invasion of Denmark. For this act of treason the couple was imprisoned at Hammershus
Hammershus
Hammershus is Northern Europe's largest medieval fortification, situated above sea level on Hammeren, the northern tip of the Danish island of Bornholm in the Baltic Sea. Erected in the 13th century, it was long believed that the castle was built as a private residence for the archbishop of Lund...
fortress on the island of Bornholm
Bornholm
Bornholm is a Danish island in the Baltic Sea located to the east of the rest of Denmark, the south of Sweden, and the north of Poland. The main industries on the island include fishing, arts and crafts like glass making and pottery using locally worked clay, and dairy farming. Tourism is...
. After their release in 1661 they took up residence at Ellensborg until they left the country in 1662 and the estate was confiscated.
Holck era
After its confiscation, Ellensborg was left empty for almost a decade but in 1672 it was granted to Eiler HolckEiler Holck
Eiler Holck was a Danish military officer, from 1671 with the title of baron.-Biography:Holck participated in the fightings at Frederiksodde in the Second Northern War and in the defense of Copenhagen ....
, the commandant at Kronborg. He renamed it Holckenhavn and and founded the Barony of Holckenhavn (dissolved in 1921).
Holckenhavn is still in the posession of the Holck family.
Architecture
Situated on an almost quadratic castle bank, Holckenhavn is a four-winged complex designed in the RenaissanceRenaissance architecture
Renaissance architecture is the architecture of the period between the early 15th and early 17th centuries in different regions of Europe, demonstrating a conscious revival and development of certain elements of ancient Greek and Roman thought and material culture. Stylistically, Renaissance...
style and built over the course of three generations. The north and east wings, as well as the gate wing, were completed by 1585. The large bell tower was added somewhat later. The master builder was probably Domenicus Badiaz.
Ellen Marsvin added the west wing in 1631 and a low south-facing gate wing in 1634. She is also responsible for a chapel installed in 1637 richly decorated with wood carvings by Hans Dreier, and a richly decorated knights' hall.
The main building was altered in the 18th and 19th ccentury and thoroughly refurbished from 1904 to 1910.
The site also includes a barn from 1629 which is the only surviving component of a farm which burned down in 1912.
Holckenhavn Castle today
The main building is rented out as a venue for conferences, private celebrations and other events. The estate covers approximately 900 hectares of which about 380 hectares are forest and about 400 hectares are agricultural land which is leased out. A number of smaller houses and other buildings also belong to the estate and are rented out. The 12 hectare park is open to the public.Owners
- (1380-1410) Anders Jacobsen Ulfeldt
- (1410-1420) Mette Rixdorf née Ulfeldt
- (1420-1445) Erik Andersen Ulfeldt
- (1445-1490) Anders Eriksen Ulfeldt
- (1490-1495) Mette Sverin née Ulfeldt
- (1495-1515) Ebbe Andersen Ulfeldt
- (1515-1540) Knud Ebbesen Ulfeldt
- (1540-1566) Corfitz Knudsen Ulfeldt
- (1566-1593) Jacob Corfitzen Ulfeldt
- (1593-1616) Jacob Jacobsen Ulfeldt
- (1616-1649) Ellen MarsvinEllen MarsvinEllen Marsvin was a Danish noble, landowner and county administrator. She was the mother-in-law of King Christian IV of Denmark as the mother of Kirsten Munk....
(married name Munk) - (1649-1658) Kirsten Ludvigsdater MunkKirsten MunkKirsten Munk was a Danish noble, the second spouse of King Christian IV of Denmark, and mother to twelve of his children.- Early life and Morganatic marriage:...
- (1658) Leonora Christine née Ulfeldt
- (1658-1662) Corfitz UlfeldtCorfitz UlfeldtCorfitz Ulfeldt , Danish statesman, son of the chancellor Jacob Ulfeldt.Corfitz Ulfeldt may also refer to:* Corfitz Ulfeldt , son of Danish diplomat Jacob Ulfeldt...
- (1662-1672) The Crown
- (1672-1696) Eiler HolckEiler HolckEiler Holck was a Danish military officer, from 1671 with the title of baron.-Biography:Holck participated in the fightings at Frederiksodde in the Second Northern War and in the defense of Copenhagen ....
- (1696-1708) Frederik Christian Holck
- (1708-1740) Eiler Holck
- (1740-1760) Christian Frederik Holck
- (1760-1777) Erik Holck
- (1777-1781) Iver Holck
- (1781-1801) Mogens Frederik Anton Iver Holck
- (1801-1830) Frederik Conrad Holck
- (1830-1877) Conrad Frederik Erik Holck
- (1877-1919) Christian Eiler Holck
- (1919-1961) Mogens Conrad Christian Holck
- (1961-1972) Mogens Preben Christian-Eiler Howden-Rønnenkamp Holck
- (1972-1990) Mogens Eiler Christian Iver Howden-Rønnenkamp Holck
- (1990-2007) Christina Howden-Rønnenkamp Holck]] née Hou Andersen
- (2007 - present) Christina Hou Holck / Dennis Hou Holck
External links
- Official website (in Danish)