Manor Houses Day

In Denmark, over 700 manor houses are spread across the landscape like a fine-meshed network. The Danish countryside is, in many ways, a manor house landscape—shaped by and alongside the estates, which for centuries have been among the most important driving forces in rural life.

The large historic main buildings still stand today as testimony to the enormous significance of the estates, not least as the largest workplaces in rural areas. Yet the role and cultural heritage of the manor houses are, in many respects, largely forgotten today.

Most people have probably seen their local castle or manor house from the outside, but few know the site’s history or understand the significance the estates have had over the centuries. Manor houses constitute an important part of our shared heritage, having been decisive for both the natural environment and cultural life in every local community.

The aim of Manor Houses Day is to open manor houses and their surrounding landscapes across the country to a broad audience once a year, thereby fostering renewed awareness of the often-forgotten cultural heritage of the manor houses.

Gammel Estrup – The Danish Manor & Estate Museum coordinates Manor Houses Day, which has been held annually on the third Sunday in August since 2019.