The manor Gammel Kjøgegaard

Gl. Kjøgegaard

Gammelkjøgegaard is a small estate situated in a picturesque location on the ridge of Køge Ås, with the Køge River winding behind the main house. The estate is located very close to town, just 1 km from Køge's main square.

Gammelkjøgegaard was already known as a manor in the late Middle Ages and has, over time, been owned by several Danish noble families such as Krumpen, Basse, and Bille, among others. However, the estate grew significantly during the ownership of the Skeel family in the 17th century, when the landholdings were greatly expanded.

After being under Swedish ownership for a period, the estate became Danish-owned again when local farmer and merchant Rasmus Carlsen bought it in 1776. His son, Christen Rasmussen Carlsen, was ennobled in 1817 with the Langernes coat of arms: three red roses on a silver field.

Since 1845, Gammelkjøgegaard has been the ancestral home of the Carlsen-Lange family, with their own coat of arms. Upon the death of Emmy Carlsen in 1912, the entire estate, including 1000 acres of forest and 950 acres of farmland, passed to the newly established Carlsen-Lange Foundation.

The Historical Buildings

The current buildings of the main house are of different ages but harmonize beautifully. The estate and its owners are mentioned in written sources dating back to the 14th century. However, the existing buildings have their earliest traces from 1603 when Elisabeth Bille had a main building constructed.

When Rasmus Carlsen took over the estate in 1776, he had the two wings built. He also planned the current two-story neoclassical main building, which was constructed by his widow in 1791. The wings were later rebuilt in 1855-56. A half-timbered side wing is thus the only remaining part of the earlier main building from 1603.

The estate was voluntarily protected in its entirety in 1964 to ensure its preservation for future generations. The main building remains a private residence for the descendants of the Carlsen-Lange family.