The history of Tjele Gods

From stately home to estate

Before Tjele Gods became an estate it was a village with 12 farms, a village church and a village pond. In 1340 the parish went extinct after the black pestilence and it was not until 1380 that the land was collected for an estate under the cathedral chapter in Viborg. In 1500 – the farms became subjects to Tjele Gods to which they provided manpower and land. The structure which dates back to 1500 is still visible at Tjele today. The materials for the buildings were among others collected from Sct. Hans church in Viborg which was partially demolished after the reformation.

Listed buildings 

The old protected buildings at Tjele Gods are built in different eras:

  • 1392 The first house build is Sonderhuset “The Stone House”.
  • 1550 Next comes the Domestic Wing.
  • 1585 35 years later the large white main building is built.
  • 1650 Finally, the horse stables and the gates to the west and east are constructed.

Owners of the estate 

There have been several owners of the estate but the first to have greater impact is Mogens Løvenbalk. He married Genete Cragengelt  - a novel has been written about her fate by H.F Ewald entitled “The Scottish Woman on Thiele”.

The next owner of the estate was Løvenbalk’s brother-in-law Erik Skram. Following Erik Skram, the estate was inherited by his son Jørgen Skram who i.e. built the white main building.

In 1635, Tjele is bought by Erik Grubbe – Erik Gruppe’s daughter is also known from the literature including “Fru Marie Grubbe” written by I.P Jacobsen, “En Landsbydegns Dagbog” written by St Steensen Blicher, “Hønsegrethe” by H.C. Andersen and also from an epistle “Fra Sælsomme Ægteskaber” written by Ludvig Holberg. Recent literature written about Marie Grubbe includes “Kysse Marie” by Juliane Preissler, “Marie Grubbe og hendes tid” by Dan H. Andersen and “Dyrets År” by Lone Hørslev.

After Erik Gruppe, Tjele is shortly owned by his son-in-law Jørgen Arenfeldt from whom Geert Didrick Levetzau buys the estate. Geert D. Levetzau’s sarcophagus and epitaph can be seen and experienced in Tjele church.

After Levetzau’s death, Tjele was bought at an auction in 1739 by Major General Christian Ditlev von Lüttichau. Tjele Gods has since then been in the possession of the family Lüttichaus where it has been inherited directly from father to son.

Today, the estate is owned and operated by the 10th generation, Christian Ditlev von Lüttichau.

Do you want to know more about what the estate is used for today?

Farming

At Tjele Gods you will find one of the country’s largest organic farms. On our fields we grow both organic vegetables, grains and feed for our organic dairy cattle…

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Forestry

Tjele’s forests are managed as a modern forestry. The wood production and values of the nature are central elements in the daily operations…

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Hunting

Tjele Gods has rich nature settings for your next hunting experience. The beautiful terrain provides extremely exciting and challenging hunting localities…

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