Dragsholm Castle () is a historic building in

Zealand Zealand ( ) is the largest and most populous islands of Denmark, island in Denmark proper (thus excluding Greenland and Disko Island, which are larger in size) at 7,031 km2 (2715 sq. mi.). Zealand had a population of 2,319,705 on 1 Januar ...

Denmark Denmark is a Nordic countries, Nordic country in Northern Europe. It is the metropole and most populous constituent of the Kingdom of Denmark,, . also known as the Danish Realm, a constitutionally unitary state that includes the Autonomous a ...

. For about 800 years there has been a building on the islet by the “drag”. From the original palace over the

medieval In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the 5th to the late 15th centuries, similarly to the post-classical period of World history (field), global history. It began with the fall of the West ...

castle to the current

baroque The Baroque ( , , ) is a Western Style (visual arts), style of Baroque architecture, architecture, Baroque music, music, Baroque dance, dance, Baroque painting, painting, Baroque sculpture, sculpture, poetry, and other arts that flourished from ...

style, Dragsholm Castle has had an influence on and been influenced by changing times and the surrounding community. Today, Dragsholm Castle has restaurant and hotel facilities.

The name Dragsholm

Prior to the reclamation of the

Lammefjord The Lammefjord is a polder in Denmark at the base of the Odsherred peninsula. Previously a deeply branched arm of the sea leading west from the Isefjord, most of it is now Land reclamation, reclaimed as agricultural land. The eastern third, outside ...

Odsherred Odsherred is a peninsula in the north-western part of the island Zealand (Sjælland) in Denmark. Odsherred stretches from the Sjællands Odde in the north-west to the now drained Lammefjord in the south, covering an area with a wide range of the ...

was connected to the rest of

by a narrow strip of land, known as a ”draugh” or ”drag”, located east of Dragsholm where the mill, Dragsmølle, lies today. The Vikings could drag their ships across the strip of land and then sail through to Roskilde, avoiding the dangerous waters north of Zealand. The islet on which Dragsholm Castle was built is surrounded by lakes and meadows just south of the

terminal moraine A terminal moraine, also called an end moraine, is a type of moraine that forms at the terminal (edge) of a glacier, marking its maximum advance. At this point, debris that has accumulated by plucking and abrasion, has been pushed by the front e ...

, which ends at Vejrhøj (123 m) to the north. Consequently, Dragsholm means the islet by the ”drag”.

History

Early history

Dragsholm Slot is one of the oldest secular buildings in Denmark. The original Dragsholm Castle was built around 1215 by the Bishop of Roskilde. During the Middle Ages, the building was modified from the original palace to a fortified castle. During the

Count's Feud The Count's Feud (), sometimes referred to as the Count's War, was a Danish war of succession occurring from 1534 to 1536, which gave rise to the Reformation in Denmark. In the broader international context, it was a part of the European wars of ...

(1534–36) (Grevens Fejde) it was so strong that it was the only castle on Zealand to withstand the armies of Count Christoffer.

Crownland and prison, 1536–1664

In connection with the Reformation, Dragsholm was confiscated by the Crown along with all other property of the Catholic church. As Crownland during the period from 1536 to 1664, Dragsholm Castle was used as a prison for noble and ecclesiastical prisoners. In the large tower at the northeast corner of the medieval castle, prison cells were made and equipped with toilets and windows depending on the prisoner's crimes, behaviour and the seriousness of his insults towards the King. Some of the best known prisoners at Dragsholm Castle include: the last Catholic Bishop in Roskilde and former owner of the castle, Joachim Rønnow; The 4th Earl of Bothwell (briefly known, during most of 1567, as the 1st

Duke of Orkney Duke is a male title either of a monarch ruling over a duchy, or of a member of royalty, or nobility. As rulers, dukes are ranked below emperors, kings, grand princes, grand dukes, and above sovereign princes. As royalty or nobility, they ...

), third husband of

Mary, Queen of Scots Mary, Queen of Scots (8 December 1542 – 8 February 1587), also known as Mary Stuart or Mary I of Scotland, was List of Scottish monarchs, Queen of Scotland from 14 December 1542 until her forced abdication in 1567. The only surviving legit ...

; and the seemingly raving mad squire, Ejler Brockenhuus.

Baroque castle

During the wars against

Charles X Gustav of Sweden Charles X Gustav, also Carl X Gustav (; 8 November 1622 – 13 February 1660), was King of Sweden from 1654 until his death. He was the son of John Casimir, Count Palatine of Zweibrücken-Kleeburg and Catherine of Sweden. After his father's ...

, an attempt was made to blow up Dragsholm Castle, and the place was a ruin until the King, as part payment of his outstanding debts, gave the castle to royal treasurer Heinrich Müller, and he started the restoration. In 1694, Dragsholm Castle was sold to the nobleman Frederik Christian Adeler (1668-1726) and finally rebuilt as the baroque castle we see today. Several owners from that family have made a lasting imprint on the development, including G. F. O. Zytphen Adeler, who took the initiative to drain the

. The Adeler Family lost its wealth in 1932 as the Danmarks bank collapsed and Dragsholm Castle passed over to the Central Land Board which sold the place to J.F. Bøttger, but only with the land belonging to the main estate.

Architecture

Today, the baroque style of the castle remains intact, but the interior of the Castle has been subject to restorations and modernisations over the years. The most recent major restoration took place after the first world war, where the Baron aimed for a Late Romantic Style, which still prevails in the salons and ballrooms.

Hauntings

Witnesses and psychics have claimed that there are three ghosts who are residents at the castle: a grey lady, a white lady and Lord Bothwell. The

Earl Earl () is a rank of the nobility in the United Kingdom. In modern Britain, an earl is a member of the Peerages in the United Kingdom, peerage, ranking below a marquess and above a viscount. A feminine form of ''earl'' never developed; instead, ...

is said to ride through the courtyard with a full horse and carriage.

Dragsholm Castle today

In recent years, the Bøttger family has managed the running of the castle after a number of minor restorations, which in addition to general conservation of the building has had the purpose of raising the level of quality of the castle as a hotel, restaurant and attraction. The hotel rooms at the castle have been refurbished and modernised, and more rooms have been added in the porter's lodge on the other side of the moat.

List of owners

* ( -1536) Roskilde Bispestol * (1536-1664) Kronen * (1664-1682) Henrik Müller * (1688-1694) Manuel de Texeira * (1694-1726) Frederik Christian Adeler * (1726-1727) Estate of Frederik Christian von Adeler * (1727-1757) Christian von Lente Adeler * (1757-1785) Conrad Wilhelm Adeler * (1785-1816)

Frederik Adeler Frederik Adeler (1700–1766) was a Danish government official and landowner. He served as a County Governor and County Governor of several counties in Denmark and Norway ( Denmark-Norway) from 1727 until his death in 1766. Early life and edu ...

* (1816-1839) Bertha Adeler, née Moltke * (1839-1878) Georg Frederik Otto Zypten-Adeler * (1878-1908) Frederik Herman Christian de Falsen Zypthen-Adeler * (1908-1932) Georg Frederik de Falsen Zypthen-Adeler * (1932-1936) Slægten von Zytphen-Adeler * (1936) Statens Jordlovsudvalg * (1936-1985) Johan Frederik Bøttger * (1985-2002) Flemming Frederik Bøttger * (2002- ) Inge Merete og Peter Bøttger

References

Sources and external links

Dragsholm Castle official website

History of Dragsholm Castle official website

* ttp://www.denmark.net/denmark-guide/attractions-denmark/dragsholm-castle.html Dragsholm Castle in Guide to Denmark {{Castles in Denmark Buildings and structures completed in 1215 Castles in Denmark Defunct prisons in Denmark Hotels in Denmark Castles in Region Zealand Listed buildings and structures in Odsherred Municipality Listed castles and manor houses in Denmark Reportedly haunted locations in Europe Reportedly haunted castles Reportedly haunted houses Reportedly haunted prisons Buildings and structures of the Adeler family