The college history

Engelsholm Folk High School, Denmark

Engelsholm has, since its beginning in 1940, followed the social and educational theories of the Danish educator Nicolai Frederik Severin Grundtvig and the concept he developed of a public collage for the general education of the working people. Engelsholm was unique as it was for both males and females, which was unusual for collages in that time.
In 1947, the teachers training program for handicrafts was established at Engelsholm for the general advancement of Danish embroidery in skill and quality. 
Since then many young women teachers trained at Engelsholm teach handicrafts in community evening and free time courses. 
In the 1960´s, the two schools were fused together and that was the beginning of Engelsholm as it is today. 
The goal of the college since then has been to give young people the best environment to work with art and music and learn more about themselves.

The castles history
Engelsholm Castle was built in 1593, although the location has a much older history. Knud Brahe bought Engelsholm from his brother-in-law nobleman Erik Lange in 1590 apparently because Erik Lange was in need of money due to the fact that he had been trying to learn the art of alchemy in various universities around Europe. Knud Brahe tore down the original building to build a new larger building that is the existing Castle. The architect was most likely the famous astronomist Tyge Brahe. Tyge Brahe´s castle was a unique house unlike any in Denmark, characterized by the four large square corner towers and 12-meter wide large interior rooms.

In 1730 Gerhard Hansen de Lichtenberg began a major remodeling of the Castle into the baroque style we see it in today. During the remodeling, each of the four towers was fitted with the onion shaped tower spires, as were the nearby churches of Lichtenberg in Nørup and Bredsten. On the south side of the building a large baroque garden was planted; in front an enormous u-shaped barn was built around the large farmyard making Engelsholm into a complete baroque castle and park. 
The park will be thoroughly restored in 2007 for many million Danish Crowns- financed by the Real Dania Foundation.

Further informations: Engelsholm@engelsholm.dk Telephone: +457588 3555