Berritzgård Castle

On the Danish island of Lolland, Berritzgård Manor stands as an example of Dutch Renaissance architecture and one of the best-preserved manor houses of this style period in Denmark. Its history dates back to the late 14th century.

The origins of the Berritzgård estate can be traced back to 1382, when it was first mentioned under the ownership of Markvard Pøiske. Originally emerging from the village of “Berith,” where the current manor stands, it later passed into the possession of the Huitfeldt family. Jacob Huitfeldt and his wife Lisebeth Friis commissioned Hans van Steenwinckel the Elder to build the present manor house, which was completed in 1586, shortly after Lisebeth Friis became a widow. In 1654, Joachim Gersdorff, Huitfeldt's widower, sold the estate to Hans Wilhelm von Harstall. His son, Christian Ulrich von Harstall, received additional lands for his services as royal stable master. In 1729, Berritzgård was sold to Abraham Lehn the Younger. His father, Johan Lehn, came from the Netherlands, and the family had made their fortune in the wine, grocery, and shipping trades. Poul Abraham Lehn, Abraham's son, created the Barony of Guldborgland in 1775 from Berritzgård and the Oreby estate. In the 18th century, the gardens were redesigned by Johan Christian Boas. After the death of Poul Lehn's only son, the barony later passed to his granddaughter Christiane Henriette von Barner.