Rosenholm Castle

Lore & Background

The manor Holm is known from the 14th century, originally owned by the Catholic Church. At the Reformation in 1536 it came into possession of The Crown. King Frederick II exchanged it for other estates owned by Danish nobleman and diplomat Jørgen Ottesen Rosenkrantz. The Rosenkrantz family is among the oldest and most famous in Danish history; Shakespeare chose to use the surname in the play Hamlet. Jørgen Rosenkrantz built two manors: Skaføgård for his son Otto and Rosenholm for his son Holger. Otto died early, and Skaføgård became a dower house for Jørgen's wife, Dorthe Lange, later passing to Holger.

Reader's Guide

Rosenholm Castle stands as a significant example of Renaissance architecture in Denmark, with its design influenced by Italian and French styles. The castle was built in stages: Jørgen Rosenkrantz constructed three wings, and his son Holger added the fourth, completing the structure in 1607. The interior was modernised in the 1740s in the Baroque style, and a large Baroque garden covering 5 hectares was laid out with avenues of limetrees and hedgerows of beech. The castle remains in the Rosenkrantz family, preserving a manor house milieu spanning over 450 years. Notable features include anthroposophic paintings by the painter Arild Rosenkrantz and the Pirkentavl gazebo from around 1560.

Did You Know?

• The Rosenkrantz surname was used by Shakespeare in the play Hamlet.
• The castle's architecture reflects Dutch and German Renaissance influences, with an open loggia on the main facade.
• A Baroque garden laid out in the 1740s covers about 4 hectares.