Location: Voergard 6, Dronningelund Map
Constructed: 1481 by Stygge Krumpen, bishop of Børglum
Tel. 98 86 71 08
Open: Easter: 11am- 4pm
May- mid- Jun: 1pm- 4pm Sat 11am- 4pm Sun & holidays
Mid- Jun- Aug: 10am- 5pm daily
Sep- early Oct: 1pm- 4pm Sat 11am- 4pm Sun, autumn holidays 1pm- 4pm
Voergard Castle is a Renaissance building located 10 km (6 mi) North of Dronningelund. Voergard citadel was constructed in 1481 by the orders Stygge Krumpen, bishop of Børglum. During Count's Feud the castle was taken in 1534 by the peasant armies under leadership of Klemen Andersen "Skipper Clement". Part of the Voergard Castle were demolished by the invaders. After Denmark went along with Reformation much of the church's properties were confiscated by the Royal Crown, including Voergard Castle. In 1578 it was ceded by Frederick II to Karen Krabbe, whose daughter Ingeborg Skeel undertook a massive restoration to a dilapidated building. The renovation project was completed in 1588 in Renaissance style.
Ingeborg Skeel herself became notorious for treating her peasants harshly and most of the ghost sightings in the castle were attributed to her re- appearance. Voergard Castle changed hands several times over next three centuries. In 1872 rich land owner and a politician Peder Brønnum Scavenius bought the castle and much of the land that surrounded it. In 1955 the castle was acquitted by Ejnar Oberbech-Clausen, who undertook a massive restoration project and created an art museum that is open to the public today. The collection of Voergård Castle includes art of El Greco, Raphael, Peter Paul Rubens, Francisco Goya, Watteau and Frans Hals and furniture from the Louis XIV and Louis XVI from the 17th and 18th century.
The art collection
The art collection includes
works attributed to Francisco Goya, Peter Paul Rubens, Raphael, El
Greco, Watteau and Frans Hals as well as furniture from the
possession of Louis XIV, Louis XVI and Marie-Antoinette. In
addition, furniture and a glassware with Napoleon's monogram
engraved. Among the expensive furniture are two sideboards from the
time of Louis XIV. There are similar ones at Versailles and at the
Louvre.
On March 8, 2008, two paintings The Madman of Goya
and Portrait of Mary of the Medici by Rubens were stolen from the
collection. The attributions are highly questionable and never
confirmed by art historians.
When Oberbech-Clausen died in
1963, the castle passed into a family fund.
Significant years
1520: Tower house, current north wing built on rampart
1534:
Partially destroyed by skipper Clement
1586-91: The east wing
built in two storeys with corner towers, two stair towers and gate
passage by Philip Brandin
Approx. 1611: The north wing extended
Approx. 1738: East wing renovated
1872: The north wing restored
1874: New breeding farm built
1876: The west gable on the north
wing was built with ridges
1908: The old barn partially burned
down
1955-60: The main building is thoroughly restored
Owner list
(1481-1509) Anders Pedersen
(1509-1518) Erik Grøn
and Jakob Andersen
(1518-1519) Niels Stygge
(1519-1536) Stygge
Krumpen
(1536-1578) Kronen
(1578-1586) Karen Krabbe (Skeel)
(1586-1608) Ingeborg Skeel
(1608-1611) Hans Axelsen Arenfeldt
(1611-1661) Jørgen Arenfeldt
(1661-1670) Chrf. Fr. Buck and Take
Hawk
(1670-1686) Jens Juel
(1686-1694) Frederik Vind and
Holger Reedtz
(1694-1732) Holger Reedtz (sole owner)
(1732-1780) Peder Reedtz
(1780-1791) Holger Reedtz-Thott
(1791-1825) N. and J. Andersen Steenild
(1825-1841) J. Fr.
Schultz
(1841-1872) Different owners
(1872-1914) Peter Brønnum
Scavenius
(1914-1946) Erik Scavenius
(1946-1955) P.E.
Rytzebeck
(1955-1963) Ejnar Oberbech-Clausen
(1963-present)
The Count Oberbech-Clausen-Péanske Family Scholarship