Gottorf
From Biocrawler, the free encyclopedia.
Gottorf (in Danish, Gottorp) is a palace and estate in the German city of Schleswig in the Bundesland of Schleswig-Holstein. It is the ancestral home of royal families within the House of Oldenburg and is today a museum. It is situated on an island on the firth of Schlei, about 40 kilometers from the Baltic Sea.
It was first settled as an estate in 1161 as the residence of bishop Occo of Schleswig when his former residence was destroyed. The Duke of Schleswig acquired it through a trade in 1268, and in 1340 it was transferred to the earl of Schauenburg. The house became the possession of Christian I of Denmark, the first Danish monarch from the House of Oldenburg, in 1459.
Both the island and the structure were extended through the years, and particularly during the 1500s. Frederick I of Denmark, the Duke of Gottorf, made it his primary residence and originated two lines: monarchs of Denmark and dukes of Gottorf. The dukes of Gottorf took over the estate, which became a European cultural center in the reign of Frederick III, duke of Gottorf, (1597–1659).
After the ducal lineage of Gottorf died out in 1702, the palace fell into disuse and disrepair in 1713, under the reign of Frederick IV of Denmark. Pieces of furniture, art and other interior were gradually moved out of the palace, and the structures were used both as Prussian and Danish barracks in the 1800s.
Since 1947, the palace has been renovated and restored through a series of efforts. The restoration was considered complete in 1996.
External links
- Foundation for state museums for Schleswig-Holstein at Gottorf Palace (http://www.schloss-gottorf.de/)da:Gottorp Slot
