Börnicke Castle

The spacious castle complex with its park and a small romantic lake with an island was built between 1909 and 1911 in a style that appeared extremely modern for its time, as it was not constructed in the usual overloaded Wilhelminian manner. A wonderfully fortunate interplay between architect and client made this creation possible. Almost 100 years later, the Berlin architect Rupert Stuhlemmer and the client Schloss Börnicke gGmbH with Brigitte Schulenburg, Hamburg, and Uwe Hamann, Berlin, as well as the city of Bernau, successfully came together again and planned the reconstruction of the Schloss Börnicke complex in Bernau near Berlin. The main focus of the building planning is now the establishment of the Brandenburg Automobile Museum Schloss Börnicke.

On behalf of the Berlin banker Paul Robert Ernst von Mendelssohn-Bartholdy (1875–1935), Prof. Bruno Paul (1874–1968) created this well-proportioned, unique castle building. Paul Robert Ernst von Mendelssohn-Bartholdy used Börnicke until his death in 1935, first in his first marriage with his wife Charlotte Reichenheim, then with his second wife Elsa Lucy Emmy Lolo von Lavergne-Peguilhen.

In 1945, members of the Swiss embassy from Berlin moved into the castle to protect themselves from the bombing war in Berlin. In April 1945, Soviet troops initially took over the castle and set up a hospital there. In connection with the land reform, there was a change in use, and the KPD took over the property. Wilhelm Pieck often spent his free time there. Then Schloss Börnicke became the holiday home "1. Mai", and in 1967, finally, a home for disabled children. In 1992, the home and school were closed. In 2003, the castle was sold to Schloss Börnicke gGmbH, Brigitte Schulenburg and Uwe Hamann, and life returned to the building. The partially dilapidated building was made accessible again and opened for numerous events. The Förderverein Schloss und Gutshof Börnicke e. V., founded in 2003, supports the reconstruction through numerous events, guided tours, and funding projects.

The landscape park dates from the second half of the 19th century. It is characterized in the northeastern part by a large pond. The park was opened up by a network of numerous winding paths that always allowed new views of the pond. The castle was framed by strictly geometric gardens. A large lawn adjoined the terrace on the southwest side. The architectural garden and the landscape park were understood as a single unit here. The architectural part took over the function of the terraces and lawns as well as special gardens such as ornamental flower and hedge gardens. The landscape park with boathouse and tennis court – which are no longer preserved today – had the role of the play and sports area.

The extensive farm buildings, manor house, stables, barns, and distillery date from before 1909 – estimated to be from the years 1870/80. The manor house itself might have been built even earlier and features a neoclassical stucco facade. The agriculturally used part is spatially slightly separated from the castle building. It consists of two courtyards of different sizes – a small courtyard located directly on the street and a very large courtyard behind it. Both courtyards are paved with cobblestones. The stable buildings are constructed in the typical local style from fieldstones and bricks.