Pederstrup
Manor house with Neoclassical rebuild, now a museum.
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On the Danish island of Lolland, 12 kilometres north of Nakskov, lies the manor house Pederstrup. Originally a half-timbered structure from 1686, it was remodelled in Neoclassical style between 1813 and 1822 by statesman Christian Ditlev Frederik Reventlow. The Reventlow Museum has occupied the building since 1940.
Quick Facts
- Location
- 12 km (7.46 mi) north of Nakskov, Lolland, Denmark
- Original construction
- 1686 (half-timbered)
- Neoclassical rebuilding
- 1813–1822
- Architect of rebuilding
- C. F. Hansen
- Museum established
- 1940
- Park size
- 20 ha
Facts from the source article.
History
Pederstrup first appears in historical records during the 1340s, when it was owned by Rigsdrost Laurits Jonsen. The oldest part of the building still standing is a vaulted cellar from the mid-1500s, which originally housed the king’s vassal. In 1576, King Frederick II sold the estate to the Venstermand family. The half-timbered structure was later purchased in 1684 by statesman Peder von Brandt, who gave it two symmetrical Baroque wings.
Count Christian Detlev Reventlow, half-brother to Anna Sophie Reventlow, took over the property in 1725, and a countship named Christianssæde was established for his family in 1729. His son, Christian Ditlev Frederik Reventlow, began a period of great prosperity in 1775, and between 1813 and 1822 he worked with architect C. F. Hansen on major Neoclassical additions. In 1858, his grandson Ferdinand Reventlow hired Ferdinand Meldahl to remodel the manor into a small French château with towers and spires. Financial troubles forced a sale in 1938, after which Viggo Sten Møller returned the building to its Neoclassical style and turned it into a museum.
Reventlow Museum
The museum showcases belongings of C.D.F. Reventlow, his relatives, and associates, with a focus on the reforms that reshaped Danish society around 1800. A key feature is its portrait collection, painted by leading artists of the era like Jens Juel, C.A. Jensen, and C.W. Eckersberg.
The house is furnished in period style and includes Reventlow’s personal items, such as his medals and orders. A 20-hectare park is accessible all year. The museum itself welcomes visitors from 11 am to 4 pm on Saturdays and Sundays throughout the year, and from Tuesday to Sunday during June through August.
More in Listed Castles and Manor Houses in Denmark
Sources
Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.
- Wikipedia: Pederstrup (CC BY-SA 4.0).
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