Fuglsang Manor

Fuglsang
Fuglsang Manor House
General information
Architectural style	Historicism
Town or city	Lolland
Country	Denmark
Construction started	1868
Completed	1869
Design and construction
Engineer	J. G. Zinn

Figlsang is a 19th century manor house and former artist's retreat on island of Lolland, serving as a cultural centre as well as an active agricultural estate. The manor house serves as a venue for classical concerts and other cultural activities. In culutral centre also include Fuglsang Art Museum, located in a purpose-built building designed by British architect Tony Fretton.

Fuglsang/Priorskov Estate has 1,731 hectares of land. It is managed as an active agricultural estate by a trust.

History

The estates history can be tracked back to 1368. The original fortified castle was located a few hunfred metres further north, where remains can still be seen. The location at the edge of marshland where Flintinge Stream mouths in the Guldborgsund Strait, close to the only ford in the area, has made it of strategic importance in the area.

In the 16th century, Fuglsang was moved to its current location on a larger islet, surrounded by broad vaults. This building was demolished in 1849 and replaced by a Neoclassicism main building. Also the park still seen today was founded at this event.

Rolf Viggo de Neergaard took over the property from his parents in 1866, but due to fungal attacks of the timber, the only 26 year old building had to be demolished.

The current building was built from 1878-69 to the design of his cousin architect J. G. Zinn who has also designed several buildings at the Holmen Naval Vase in Copenhagen

In 1885, de Neergaard married the 30 years younger Bodil Neergaard, and together they opened the house to a large number of visiting artists and particularly musicians until Rolf Viggo de Neergaard 's death. Both Edvard Grieg and Carl Nielsen were frequent visitors to the house and close friends of the couple.

Upon her husband's death in 1915, Bodil Neergaard managed the large estate alone, and organized the social life of the household. In 1947, she handed the esate over to the Classenske Fideicommis, a trust founded in 1789 by Johan Frederik Classen.