Engelsholm Castle

Experience the French-inspired Renaissance castle beautifully situated in Nørup by the shore of Engelsholm Lake.

The History of Engelsholm Castle

The Renaissance castle Engelsholm is beautifully situated on the shores of Engelsholm Lake, surrounded by forest and park. The castle was built by Knud Brahe - the brother of Tycho Brahe - in 1592. The very regular building is rectangular in plan with square towers featuring onion domes embedded in each corner.

The inspiration was drawn from the castle Ancy-le-Franc in Burgundy, France. In the 1730s, Gerhard de Lichtenberg began an extensive restoration and remodeling of the castle. He added the distinctive onion domes, constructed a large three-winged farmyard, and laid out the park in the French style. The castle still contains furnishings with painted Chinese scenes from the renovation.

Gerhard de Lichtenberg also left his mark on the nearby Nørup Church, which belonged to Engelsholm Castle from 1586 to 1935. The Romanesque church is richly decorated with Baroque-style furnishings and, like the castle, features onion-shaped domes.

The castle burned down in 1952 but was immediately restored to its original form.

The Recent History of Engelsholm Castle

Since 1940, Engelsholm Castle has been operated as a folk high school and is today owned by the independent institution "Engelsholm Højskole." The castle is not open to the public, but it can be viewed from the outside from the southern part of the park. In addition to the other buildings, which regularly host public events such as classical concerts. Click on the link to read more - Engelsholm Castle events | Music & Culture.

Surroundings of the Castle

The castle is located in beautiful surroundings on the shores of Engelsholm Lake, surrounded by forest and park. The castle park was likely established by Knud Brahe in the years after it was built, thus as an herb and rose garden.

In addition to the symmetrically laid out beds, lawns, and ponds, the park features clipped trees and bushes as well as terrain shifts in the form of embankments and staircases. The park is now 6 hectares in size. The main elements in Engelsholm's park are the terraces with clipped trees and the moat. The castle on an island in a moat at the edge of a larger lake is also something quite special for Engelsholm. The park is open to the public year-round. To learn more about the castle park: Click on the link and read more about Engelsholm Castle Park.