Pederstrup

The Reventlow Museum opened in 1940 in the main building of the Pederstrup manor. The history of the estate can be dated back to the 1340s, while the oldest building traces in the main building are from the 1550s. The museum's present appearance is the result of restoration and reconstruction in 1940 of the Empire style house that C. D. F. Reventlow commissioned and had built in 1813-22. Today, Pederstrup is one of just a few main buildings in Denmark that are built in the Empire style.

Empire and historicism

C. D. F. Reventlow prepared the drawings for the Empire house himself, helped along by the great Danish architect C. F. Hansen, who also designed the cathedral of Copenhagen and the second Christiansborg Castle.

After its construction, the simple Empire house was left in its original form for a mere 40 years, before the manor was completely rebuilt in the historicist taste of the period around 1860. Here, the main building was expanded to twice its original size with two side wings and large towers. At the same time, the home farm was demolished and removed, and the current park with its rare trees and beautiful views was established. The impressive indoor riding arena was inaugurated in 1872.

The museum today
In the 1930s, the Reventlow family sold Pederstrup, and the main building and the park were laid out as a museum. In this connection, the main building was brought back to the style of C. D. F. Reventlow's simple Empire house, which is now located beautifully in the green park surrounded by lakes and woodland. The only remnant that has been preserved from the historicist Pederstrup is the impressive cooking range in the manor kitchen.

The beautifully furnished rooms with their views across the lakes today allow visitors to get close to C. D. F. Reventlow's everyday life and experience how well-to-do families lived in their stately homes in the decades around 1800.

A special exhibition is held in the museum's living rooms each year.