Glimpse of a bygone era. That’s what awaits you at Erichsens Gård. This timber-framed building stands as Rønne’s best-preserved commoner’s house. Erichsens Gård is now part of the Bornholm Museum.
Erichsens Gård dates back to 1806. It was expanded in the 1830s and 1840s. Henning Pedersen lived here from 1816 to 1837. He was a surveyor and architect. He designed Rønne Præstegård and the old city hall. These are both on Rønne’s Store Torv.
The house is named after Thomas Erichsen. He owned it next. Thomas Erichsen lived from 1806 to 1886. He moved to Bornholm in 1832. He bought the house in 1838. In the same year he married Michelle Kathrine Westh. She lived from 1812 to 1890.
Thomas and Michelle had twelve children. One daughter was Vilhelmine Charlotte Erichsen. She became the muse of artists. Kristian Zahrtmann and Holger Drachmann admired her. Zahrtmann painted her at fourteen. The Bornholms Kunstmuseum has this painting. In 1871, Vilhemine married Holger Drachmann. The wedding was in Gentofte church.
Erichsens Gård still holds memories of these artists. There is also an exhibition about the Erichsen family. Imagine the conversations. Think about the artistic energy. Erichsens Gård was protected in 1919.
In 1950, Elena Erichsen sold it. The Bornholm Museum became the new owner.
When you enter the old rooms you meet the ladies of the house. They can tell you about Thomas Erichsen and his family. The family gave the house its name. Thomas and his wife Michelle had 12 children. One of them was Vilhelmine Erichsen.
Vilhelmine sparked Zahrtmann and Drachmann’s interest in Erichsens Gård. Both artists were drawn to her. Kristian Zahrtmann greatly influenced Danish painting. He also painted The Mysterious Wedding in Pistoia. You can see paintings by Zahrtmann and Drachmann at the Bornholm Art Museum.
Some days you can taste homemade pancakes at Erichsens Gård. You might even see them make mustard. The idyllic garden invites you. Enjoy a cup of coffee or tea. Feel free to bring your own lunch. You can eat it in the garden. The garden gate is open. You can peek around the garden Mondays to Thursdays. It is free.
Every Saturday at 11 am the gardener leads a tour of the garden. The tour is included with admission and lasts about an hour. Learn about the many plants, trees, and bushes. The gardener knows the plants’ Latin names. These names reveal information about their uses and relatives. The garden features flowers and plants. They were available when the garden was first created. It is a local time capsule. No new imported plants here.
Smell roses, perennials, and lavender during the summer. Discover the kitchen garden full of herbs. Learn about temple trees, buckthorns, and dropworts. Several fruit trees also grow here.
At Erichsens Gård, you can find beautiful flowers and plants. Press them to create your own herbarium. It is a collection of dried and pressed plants. A facilitator may be present some days. Other days, you can follow our guide.
Erichsens Gård offers a glimpse into family life. It also showcases artistic inspiration. It connects us to Bornholm’s cultural heritage. A visit here is a step back in time.