Birkendegård is a manor house and estate located 6 km east of
Kalundborg
Kalundborg () is a Danish city with a population of 16,659 (1 January 2025),Renaissance Revival style
Renaissance Revival architecture (sometimes referred to as "Neo-Renaissance") is a group of 19th-century architectural revival styles which were neither Greek Revival nor Gothic Revival but which instead drew inspiration from a wide range of ...
The name is first recorded as ''Byrchinge'' in 1663 when it was a under Roskiulde Bishopric. The name is later recorded as ''Birkingegaard''. The current name is most likely a corruption of the original name. At the Reformation in 1536, Birkendegård was confiscated by the crown along with all other property of the Catholic church. Due to its small size, it was placed under
Kalundborg Castle
Kalundborg () is a Danish city with a population of 16,659 (1 January 2025),
In 1672, Birkendegård was granted to
Jørgen Bielke
Jørgen is a Danish, Norwegian, and Faroese masculine given name cognate to George
People with the given name Jørgen
* Jørgen Aall (1771–1833), Norwegian ship-owner and politician
* Jørgen Andersen (1886–1973), Norwegian gymnast
* Jørgen ...
as compensation for his losses during the
Second Northern War
The second (symbol: s) is a unit of time derived from the division of the day first into 24 hours, then to 60 minutes, and finally to 60 seconds each (24 × 60 × 60 = 86400). The current and formal definition in the International System of ...
. In 1674, he was granted permission to dissolve the village and replace it by a single manor. This process was however not completed until 1700. Bielke's other holdings included nearby Avnsøgård and
Edelgave
Edelgave is a manor house situated just southwest of Smørumnedre, Egedal Municipality, 20 km northwest of central Copenhagen, Denmark. The current main building was designed by Andreas Kirkerup and is listed.
History 17th century
The area ...
north of Copenhagen.
In 1886, Birkendegård was acquired by Jørgen Hansen. After his widow's death, it returned to the crown. In 1693, it was ceded to Jørgen Bielke's daughter, Sophie Amalie Bielke, his only surviving child, in return for her giving up all her father's pending demands against the crown.
In 1700, Sophie Amalie Bielke sold Birkendegård to Johan Christopher von Schønbach. He had studied law and served as '' amtman'' of Kalundborg, Sæbygård, Drahsholm and
Holbæk
Holbæk () is a town in Denmark and the County seat, seat of Holbæk municipality with a population of 30,903 (1 January 2025).Gerhard Faye Gerhard Cassius Faye (8 March 1846 - 30 January 1917) was a Denmark, Danish pharmacist and factory manager. He was one of the key figures in the emerging sugar beet industry on Lolland-Falster in the late 19th century.
Early life and education
Faye ...
, a pioneer of the sugar beet industry on
Lolland
Lolland (; formerly spelled ''Laaland'', literally "low land") is the List of islands of Denmark#List of 100 largest Danish islands, fourth largest island of Denmark, with an area of . Located in the Kattegat, Belts and Sund area, it is part of Re ...
-
Falster
Falster () is an island in south-eastern Denmark with an area of and 43,398 inhabitants as of 1 January 2010.
, whom he had succeeded as manager of Nakskov Sugar Factory. Birkendegård was after his death passed to his eldest son Gerhard Faye and then to his grandson Jørgen Faye.
Architecture
The current main building was constructed in 1854 to designs by Christian Yubjerg. It ha stepped gables and dormers.
Jørgen Bielke
Jørgen is a Danish, Norwegian, and Faroese masculine given name cognate to George
People with the given name Jørgen
* Jørgen Aall (1771–1833), Norwegian ship-owner and politician
* Jørgen Andersen (1886–1973), Norwegian gymnast
* Jørgen ...
* (1686) Jørgen Hansen
* ( -1693) Kronen
* (1693- ) Sophie Amalie Bielke, gift Hvalsøe
* ( -1700) Hans Hansen Hvalsøe
* (1700-1726) Johan Christopher von Schønbach
* (1726-1732) Anna Elisabeth von Korff, gift von Schønbach
* (1732-1733) Hans Friderich von Schønbach
* (1732-1733) Susanne Lovise von Schønbach
* (1732-1735) Johan Christopher von Schønbach
* (1735-1743) Terkel Terkelsen
* (1743-1757) Christian Lerche
* (1757-1766) Amalie Margrethe Christiane Caroline Leiningen Westerburg, gift Lerche
* (1766-1798) Georg Flemming Lerche
* (1798-1852) Christian Cornelius Lerche
* (1852-1853) Boet efter Christian Cornelius Lerche
* (1853-1895) Vilhelm Cornelius Magnus Lerche
* (1895-1921) Gustav Lerche
* (1921) Jacobsen brothers
* (1921-1949) Aage Faye
* (1949-1999) Gerhard Faye
* (1999- ) Jørgen Faye