Vallø stift or ''Det Adelige Stift Vallø for ugifte døtre'' (Noble Vallø Foundation for Unmarried Daughters) was a Danish

foundation Foundation may refer to: * Foundation (nonprofit), a type of charitable organization ** Foundation (United States law), a type of charitable organization in the U.S. ** Private foundation, a charitable organization that, while serving a good cause ...

for the support of unmarried female nobles. It was located at Vallø Castle just south of

Køge Køge (, older spelling ''Kjøge'') is a seaport on the coast of Køge Bugt (''Bay of Køge'') 39 km southwest of Copenhagen. It is the principal town and seat of Køge Municipality, Region Sjælland, Denmark. In 2022, the urban area had a ...

on the east coast of the island of

Zealand Zealand ( da, Sjælland ) at 7,031 km2 is the largest and most populous island in Denmark proper (thus excluding Greenland and Disko Island, which are larger in size). Zealand had a population of 2,319,705 on 1 January 2020. It is the 1 ...

History

Vallø Stift Foundation (''Stiftelsen Vallø Stift'') was created in 1737 by Queen Sophie Magdalene (1700-1770). The convent was inaugurated the following year. It functioned as a convent for unmarried women from noble or princely houses, who resided at Vallø Castle. For this purpose, Vallø Castle was expanded between 1736-38 with a new baroque-style building designed by architect

Lauritz de Thurah Laurids Lauridsen de Thurah, known as Lauritz de Thurah (4 March 1706 – 5 September 1759), was a Danish architect and architectural writer. He became the most important Danish architect of the late baroque period. As an architectural writer ...

(1706–1759). Until 1810, the convent was headed by an abbess, who were to be of a princely house. Initially the abbess was

Sophie Caroline of Brandenburg-Kulmbach Sophie Caroline of Brandenburg-Kulmbach (31 March 1705 – 7 June 1764) was a princess consort of Ostfriesland as the spouse of Prince George Albert of East Frisia (1690–1734). Biography She was a daughter of Christian Heinrich of Brandenb ...

(1705–1764) who was a younger sister of Queen Sophie Magdalene. The abbess had the right to appoint the vicars in the parishes belonging to the county of the stift. She was assisted by a prioress with the title ''dekanesse''. In 1810 the office of abbey was abolished, and the dean became head of the foundation. The activities of the foundation changed after the end of

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

. In 1976, the foundation's bylaws were revised so that no more new ladies of the diocese were to be enrolled, but noble widows who were already registered could get free housing in the castle.

References

External links

Vallø Stift website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Vallo stift 1738 in Denmark 18th-century establishments in Denmark 18th century in Denmark Lutheran monasteries