Brejninggaard

Brejninggaard
Location within Denmark
General information
Type	Manor house (former), School (current)
Architectural style	Renaissance
Location	Near Spjald, Ringkøbing-Skjern Municipality, Denmark
Current tenants	Brejninggaard Efterskole
Completed	c. 1580
Renovated	1942, 1956–1959
Client	Gunde Lange (original owner)
Design and construction
Architect	Helge Holm (20th-century additions)
Known for	Renaissance architecture with unique terracotta decorations

Brejninggaard is a former manor house located near Spjald, Ringkøbing-Skjern Municipality, in western Jutland, Denmark.

History

In the Middle Ages the estate belonged to the bishops of Ribe. In 1544, it was sold to the nobleman Gunde Lange. His son Hans Lange constructed a new main building later in the century. The main building has been extensively renovated and remodeled several times, so there are only a few remains of the original building.

Architecture

The main building was erected around 1580 by in Renaissance-style red bricks and consisted of four built-in wings, with a tower with spiral staircase in the south-west corner of the courtyard. The original house was a four-winged complex but only the east and north wings have survived. The east wing, which contains the gate, is decorated with a ceramic frieze and pilasters. Similar decorations have been found on the courtyard side of the north wig. This kind of terracotta decoration is common in northern Germany but unseen elsewhere in Denmark.

The land was sold off in lots in 1926. A new west wing was built in 1942 and followed by construction of the south wing between 1956–1959. The west wing from 1942 and the south wing from 1958 were both designed by architect Helge Holm. The building were converted for use as a school. The building now houses Brejninggaard Efterskole.

External links

• Brejninggaard Efterskole website