Sonnerupgaard Manor Estate

History

Sonnerupgaard Manor Estate is located in the midst of an undulating, expansive landscape lush with forests, hills, meadows and wetlands. In 1933 an ancient oak tree on the estate was designated as protected. First mentioned in 1341 Sonnerupgaard has been owned by various Danish nobles, including the Bille, Trolle, Urne and Parsberg families, the last-mentioned most well-known for chopping off astronomer Thyco Brahe’s nose. Prior to 1731 Sonnerupgaard was located on ramparts surrounded by a moat on all four sides.

After the estate burned down in 1731 it was moved to its current location, but the ramparts are still visible behind the current buildings. A small bridge leads over the moat to the ramparts, which used to be known as the burned grave because someone died in the flames when the estate burned down.

New life in the old estate

Today Sonnerupgaard Manor Estate is a hotel and conference centre, but also has reception rooms in the main building and stables for weddings, birthdays and other events with space for 20 to 1000 people. The estate is also involved in agriculture and forestry.

Excursions

In addition to the estate’s own park the hilly landscape surrounding Sonnerupgaard is ideal for biking and hiking. Small country roads, gravel roads and paths lead to nearby Tadre Mill and Aastrup Abbey or you can explore Sonnerup Forest, Tadre Forest and Engskov Forest.

Rich wildlife

Wildlife abounds in the forests and rolling landscape, where you can catch site of deer, house martens, squirrels, hares, foxes, badgers, stoats, ferrets, weasels and several types of bats. Multiple types of birds also populate the area, including: common buzzards, honey buzzards, sparrow hawks, kestrels, tawny owls, great spotted woodpeckers, nuthatches, wood pigeons, woodcocks, grey herons, greylags, mallards, common moorhens, partridges, pheasants, cuckoos, nightingales and many species of small birds.

Preservation

Subject to conservation and nature protection measures, Sonnerupgaard manor estate is:

• A designated cultural environment worthy of preservation
• Part of Denmark’s largest consecutive landscape preserve, jointly with Aastrup Abbey
• Home to a large oak tree designated as protected in 1933