The forgotten manor estate
Selsø Castle is a fairy-tale, Baroque manor estate from 1576 built by nobleman Jakob Ulfeldt – one of the richest men in the Kingdom of Denmark and a member of the King’s Council. Selsø was originally located on a small lake island with a stream connecting it to Roskilde Fjord. Prior to the current building, there was a small, 12th-century medieval fortress, its stone well still visible in the courtyard.
When its last aristocratic inhabitant died in 1829 the castle’s contents were sold and its doors locked, leaving the castle to stand hidden and forgotten for 144 years, though used intermittently as a grain warehouse, dog kennel, to dry laundry and much more. Miraculously, this saved the castle, which has now been restored and serves as a museum about manor estates. Visit during opening hours, reserve a tour during the day or evening, or attend one of its historic events.