Gråsten Castle and park

Facts

Royal summer residence

Gråsten Castle, with its white wings and flower-filled park, is nestled between forest and lake. It has been the royal family's summer residence since 1935. In the 17th century, the noble Schleswig-Holstein family of Ahlefeldt owned Gråsten Castle. But in 1725, they sold it to a Ducal family from Augustenborg who owned the estate until 1921 – except for a period of exile in 1852-1882. The state bought Gråsten from the last Duke, Ernst Günther, in 1921. In 1935, the Danish Parliament decided that the Crown Prince and his family, later to become King Frederik IX and Queen Ingrid, should have the castle as a summer residence.

Partly a public place

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The Queen's garden

Story written by Peter Dragsbo

Time / Periode 1600 2009

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Sadly, the Ahlefeldts' impressive 17th century castle was destroyed by fire in 1757. Only the east and west wings with the baroque-style castle church remain. The new low central wing was given a tower-like mid-section crowned by a round temple in 1840. In about 1780, Gråsten Castle Park was landscaped along English scenic lines. In the years 1935-2000 Queen Ingrid had a flower garden planted in the garden near the castle. She borrowed ideas from two gardens, Sofiero and Waldemarsudde, owned by the neighbouring Swedish royal family. The Queen was also inspired by English landscape gardener Gertrude Jekyll. Beautiful Gråsten Forest surrounds the park. The lakes once contained Duke Ernst Günther's carp stocks. Today they are called Margrethe, Benedikte and Anne Marie Lakes after Denmark's Queen and her sisters.