Frieboeshvile

Gazing at Frieboeshvile, did you ever imagine this elegant country house was once called “The Wilderness”? Originally built in 1756 for the Copenhagen chemist, August Günther, Frieboeshvile began its life far from the “resting place” its name now suggests. Its Rokoko style, evident in the graceful lines and ornate details, hints at the fashionable tastes of its first owner. His initials, “AG,” are discreetly placed above the door and on the first floor, a subtle reminder of his legacy. Frieboeshvile earned its current name from General Frederik Caspar Conrad Frieboe. He married the heiress, Gjertrud Cathrine Bodenhoff, who inherited the property in 1794. The general and his wife, along with a few descendants, are buried in the peaceful park surrounding the house. The house passed down through the family, becoming Denmark’s smallest fideicommissum, a type of entailed estate designed to preserve family ownership. Interestingly, Georg Ferdinand Duckwitz, a key figure in the rescue of Danish Jews during World War II, resided here both during the war and later as West Germany’s ambassador. A plaque on the building commemorates his connection to Frieboeshvile. Today, Frieboeshvile serves as a captivating museum. Owned by Lyngby-Taarbæk Kommune since 1953, the house showcases the interior design and furnishings typical of Copenhagen’s wealthy citizens in the late 18th century. The neoclassical interiors, carefully restored in 1977, offer a glimpse into the elegant lifestyle of General Frieboe’s time. The park retains charming elements from the past, including a grotto that once led to a fruit cellar and an aviary transformed into a charming pavilion. Even the mansard roof, covered in glazed black tiles, though a later addition, adds to the house’s unique character. The original roof was wooden shingles, later replaced with slate in 1867.