Sølyst

In 1724, a merchant named J. Frøichen built a striking half-timbered house. This house, eleven bays long, was the first S Sølyst. S Sølyst sits near the Øresund coast in Klampenborg. It’s on the northern edge of Copenhagen, in Gentofte Municipality. In 1753, another merchant, Just Fabritius, purchased Sølyst. Fabritius also owned the nearby Christiansholm, a Rococo mansion he built in 1746. He decided to replace Frøichen’s half-timbered creation. In 1760, a new S Sølyst emerged. Ernst Heinrich von Schimmelmann acquired S Sølyst in 1776. He was a prominent figure in the financial administration, later becoming Minister of Financial Affairs. He used S Sølyst as his summer residence. A tragic love story unfolded at S Sølyst. Schimmelmann’s first wife, Countess Emilie Rantzau, died of tuberculosis just five years after their marriage. To commemorate her, he commissioned a monument near a spring where she often rested. It was called Emiliekilde. Schimmelmann remarried, and he and his new wife, Charlotte, continued the summer tradition at S Sølyst. They shared a passion for the arts. S Sølyst transformed into a vibrant cultural hub, renowned internationally. The Schimmelmann era at S Sølyst ended with Ernst’s death in 1831. The property passed to his daughter, Adelaide. She later sold it in 1840. S Sølyst then saw a series of different owners throughout the next century. In 1949, the Royal Copenhagen Shooting Society became the new owner of S Sølyst. Today, the society still operates at S Sølyst. The property has also found new life as a venue for events, from parties and receptions to meetings and conferences. S Sølyst has a rich history, from its early days as a merchant’s country house to its current role as a shooting society and event space.