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
Voergaard Castle (Voergård Slot) is a well-preserved Danish Renaissance manor house located in Brønderslev Municipality, North Jutland, about 10 km north of Dronninglund. It exemplifies late 16th-century Danish Renaissance architecture, blending defensive elements with elegant, symmetrical Renaissance aesthetics.
Early History (15th–16th Centuries)
Voergaard’s recorded
history dates back to 1481. The oldest part of the castle, the north
wing, was constructed around 1520 during the late medieval/early
Renaissance period. It was originally owned by Stygge Krumpen, the
powerful Bishop of Børglum, a controversial figure known for his
wealth and influence in the Catholic Church before the Reformation.
During the Count’s Feud (a Danish civil war in the 1530s), the
castle was seized by Skipper Clement’s peasant army. Following the
Reformation in 1536, it was confiscated by the Crown along with
other church properties.
In 1578, King Frederick II transferred
the property to Karen Krabbe in exchange for another estate
(Nygaard). Her daughter, Ingeborg Skeel (1534–1591), became the
dominant figure associated with the castle. Ingeborg took over
management and oversaw a major expansion, completing the lavish east
wing in Renaissance style between roughly 1587 and 1591 (or
completed in 1588 per some sources). The architect was Philip
Brandin, and the sandstone portal at the entrance was a royal gift
from Frederick II, originally intended for Frederiksborg Castle.
The castle took its current L-shaped, two-winged red-brick form
during this period, featuring octagonal corner towers on the east
wing.
Legends and Hauntings
Ingeborg Skeel is a central
figure in the castle’s folklore. She was a capable but ruthless
noblewoman. Legend claims she drowned the castle’s architect (or
master builder) in the moat after the construction to prevent him
from building a similar masterpiece elsewhere. She is said to haunt
the castle to this day, along with other ghosts. There are stories
of a bloodstain from an innocent victim that cannot be washed away,
a dungeon, and various eerie tales tied to the castle’s turbulent
past.
Subsequent Ownership (17th–19th Centuries)
Over the
next two centuries, Voergaard changed hands multiple times, and much
of its land was sold off. It remained a private estate amid
Denmark’s shifting noble and royal land dynamics.
In 1872,
politician and landowner Peder Brønnum Scavenius purchased it and
reacquired much of the dispersed land. By his death in 1914, the
estate was one of Denmark’s largest at over 1,944 hectares. His son,
Erik Scavenius (Danish Prime Minister during World War II), owned it
from 1914 to 1945.
20th Century: The Art Collector Era
In
1955, the castle was acquired by Count Ejnar Oberbech-Clausen
(1883–1963), a Dane who had lived in France since 1906. Through
marriage to the wealthy widow Marie Henriette Chenu-Lafitte
(daughter of a prominent French surgeon and connected to nobility),
he became an Imperial Count and amassed significant wealth and an
extraordinary art collection from French châteaus, especially around
Bordeaux.
After his wife’s death in an air raid in 1941, he
returned to Denmark. He brought back the equivalent of 12 train cars
of art (with French government approval) and invested heavily in
restoring the castle over several years. The collection includes
works attributed to masters like Francisco Goya, Peter Paul Rubens,
Raphael, El Greco, Watteau, and Frans Hals, plus furniture linked to
Louis XIV and Louis XVI, and items connected to Napoleon. It is one
of Scandinavia’s finest private collections of French art and
antiques.
Oberbech-Clausen died in 1963 at Voergaard. The castle
and its collections were then placed in a foundation to preserve
them for posterity and opened to the public.
Today
Voergaard is open to the public via guided tours, which highlight
the history, art, ghost stories, and owners like Stygge Krumpen,
Ingeborg Skeel, and Ejnar Oberbech-Clausen. It hosts events like
Medieval Days, Christmas markets, and more. It is not a typical
museum but a living historic house filled with period furnishings.
Overall Layout and Form
Two-winged, L-shaped plan: The castle
consists of a prominent east wing (the main Renaissance addition) and a
north wing (older section), forming an L-shape. This configuration is
typical of many Danish manors of the period, providing both residential
space and some defensive capability.
Materials: Built primarily in
red brick, a common choice in Denmark due to the abundance of clay and
tradition from medieval brick Gothic architecture. The brickwork is
complemented by sandstone details for decorative and structural accents.
Moat and setting: It is a moated castle surrounded by one of Denmark’s
broadest moats, enhancing its fortress-like appearance while serving
practical defensive purposes. Thick outer walls (often described as
meter-thick) add to the robust, imposing character. A brick bridge leads
across the moat to the main entrance.
Key Architectural Features
East Wing (1587–1591): This is the most lavish and architecturally
significant part, built under Ingeborg Skeel (with architect Philip
Brandin often credited). It features:
Two prominent octagonal corner
towers with conical or spire roofs, giving the facade a distinctive,
symmetrical silhouette and vertical emphasis typical of Renaissance
design.
A central gateway piercing the wing, creating a grand
processional entrance.
Sandstone portal: The standout feature — a
highly ornate triumphal arch-style portal, gifted by King Frederick II
(originally intended for Frederiksborg Castle). It is decorated with
diadem heads, Doric columns, lions’ heads, and the king’s monogram.
Dated elements include 1588 on the sides and 1591 above the cornice. It
is considered one of Denmark’s most distinguished manor house portals.
North Wing (c. 1520): Older than the east wing, originally
associated with Bishop Stygge Krumpen. It retains some Gothic elements
(e.g., in gables or structural details) alongside Renaissance updates,
showing the transition from medieval to Renaissance styles. The gable
end is visible and contributes to the overall historic layering.
Roof
and upper elements: Red-tiled roofs (often with stepped or ornate gables
on the north wing), multiple chimneys, and decorative spires or weather
vanes on the towers. The rooflines emphasize horizontality balanced by
vertical towers, a hallmark of Renaissance symmetry and proportion.
Symmetry and decoration: The design adheres to Renaissance principles of
regularity, symmetry, and harmonious proportions. Decorative elements
(sandstone ornaments, pilasters, cornices) are applied as a layer over
the brick structure, creating rich visual interest without overwhelming
the massing. Windows are regularly spaced with stone surrounds.
Interiors and Functional Aspects
While exteriors are the primary
architectural highlight, interiors (accessible via guided tours)
include:
Period rooms and salons furnished with French antiques
(Louis XIV/XVI pieces) and an exceptional art collection (works
attributed to Rubens, Goya, Raphael, etc.).
Historical features like
a notorious dungeon ("Rosedonten") — a tiny, lightless space designed to
prevent standing or lying fully extended.
Thick walls and robust
construction that have allowed excellent preservation.
Historical
Context and Evolution
Construction occurred in phases:
Early
references from 1481; north wing ~1520 (medieval/Gothic roots).
Major
Renaissance expansion 1587–1591 under Ingeborg Skeel, transforming it
into the current elegant form.
Later restorations (notably in the
mid-20th century by Count Ejnar Oberbech-Clausen) preserved and enhanced
the structure. It blends defensive medieval heritage (moat, thick walls)
with Renaissance elegance (symmetry, classical ornamentation,
French/Dutch influences via architects and motifs).
Architectural
Significance
Voergaard represents a quintessential Danish Renaissance
manor — less grandiose than royal palaces like Frederiksborg or Kronborg
but notable for its intimate scale, high-quality detailing (especially
the portal), and integration of older elements. It showcases the shift
from fortified medieval strongholds to comfortable, status-displaying
noble residences in the late 16th century, influenced by Italian,
French, and Dutch Renaissance ideas adapted to Nordic brick-building
traditions.