History |
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Bernstorff Palace was built by King Frederik V’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Johan Hartvig Ernst Bernstorff. The King had given him a pheasant warren, complete with land, close to Jægerborg. In 1765 the building of Bernstorff Palace as a summer residence was completed.
However, the pleasure of this was brief. In 1770 J.H.E. Bernstorff was brought down by J.F. Struensee and, together with his nephew Andreas Peter Bernstorff, he was obliged to flee to Paris where he died in 1772 (the same year that Struensee was executed). A.P. Bernstorff was recalled to Denmark by the Crown Prince, later King Frederik VI, in 1773. He had inherited Bernstorff Palace and lived there every summer up to his death in 1797. The palace was owned by the Bernstorff family until 1812. A mixed bag of owners succeeded him; a counsellor, a prime minister and a West Indian plantation owner. In 1820 the palace was acquired by P.H.F. Kalko, a military judge, who intended to sell the run-down palace so it could be demolished.But a widespread protest against demolishing such a historical building arose in the press. Crown Prince Christian (VIII) then said he would buy it, but Kalko demanded an unreasonably high price. Only after several years of negotiation was it possible for King Christian VIII to acquire the palace in 1842. King Christian VIII was an art connoisseur and was interested in renovating the palace. He had thorough repairs and rebuilding carried out and new buildings were also added. When, as King, he stayed at the palace there was a need to accommodate e.g. the Life Guards so Kavalergården was built. |
