Tranekær Castle is inhabited by the Ahlefeldt-Laurvig family, and is today a modern agricultural and forestry business covering 1,733 hectares. Seeds and grain, Christmas trees and ornamental greenery are grown, and a large area is dedicated to raising pheasants. The forest is managed as traditional forestry. The main building and the castle bank are not open to the public, but outside the moats you can walk along the fine pathway where you can see unique trees in the park, including the rare Chinese conifer, the water fir. However, access to the castle is possible during a guided tour, where the history of the castle and the family will be told with wonderful anecdotes.
Business stays
It is possible to rent the castle for corporate events where you can experience the history and atmosphere of the castle. You can also stay overnight at the castle, enjoy exquisite gastronomy and a high level of service.
Strategic location
Originally built as a heavily fortified castle with a moat and drawbridge, the castle has an extremely favourable location. Secluded and built on its 20 metre high bank, it was once possible to sail to the foot of the castle from both the east and west sides of Langeland. If you were travelling along the length of Langeland, it was necessary to pass the castle.
On top of a hat hill
The castle is located on top of one of the island's many ‘hat-shaped hills’. In this way, the terrain provided significant protection for the castle's inhabitants from the very beginning. With the addition of moats and a curtain wall over time, the castle has become an almost impregnable stronghold.
History of the castle
Tranekær Castle has been located on Langeland for almost a thousand years and was probably originally built by King Valdemar the Great (1131-1182). The castle is first mentioned in sources in 1231, which declare the castle to belong to the king. In the 1350s, Valdemar Atterdag conquered Tranekær after 14 days of more or less constant siege. Since then, the impressive defences have been used as part of the defence of southern Denmark until the 1650s when Tranekær Castle was destroyed during the Swedish Wars. Not long after, in 1672, the dilapidated castle was presented as part of a dowry at a wedding between the young Margrethe Dorothea Rantzau, who in 1656 was Denmark's richest heiress, and Frederik Ahlefeldt. Since then, the Ahlefeldt-Laurvig family have been the owners of Tranekær Castle.
Over time, a beautiful village has grown up around the castle, which, like the castle, is very well preserved to this day. Many of the buildings in Tranekær Village were built by the castle's employees.
The general
Frederik Ahlefeldt-Laurvig (1760-1832), also known as ‘The General’, took over Tranekær in 1791 and he was a man with great ambitions for the area. Among other things, he built a theatre building by the riding arena, and he decorated the surrounding town of Tranekær with beautiful and solid uniform houses, inspired by the well-designed castle towns of Central Europe. He also opened the sugar factory, which today is a bed and breakfast and gallery, a teachers' college and much more.
Sources
Tranekær a castle and a town - Helle Ravn - Øhavsmuseet Langeland
Tranekær Castle and town - Print 7 from Langelands Museum
Traces of the Ahlefeldt family history - P. Ahlefeldt-Laurvig
UNESCO Global Geopark The South Funen Archipelago
Tranekær Castle is designated as a castle with special cultural heritage in the South Funen Archipelago Geopark.
You can read more about the UNESCO Global Geopark at geoparkoehavet.dk
