Kreismuseum Herzogtum Lauenburg

In the historic setting of the cathedral on Ratzeburg’s town island stands the manor house of the Herzöge von Mecklenburg; since 1973 the Kreismuseum des Kreises Herzogtum Lauenburg has used this Baroque building as an exhibition venue. The house originally served as the intended residence of the Dukes of Mecklenburg-Strelitz in the regional exclave and, despite its castle-like appearance, is generally referred to as the manor house.

The property passed in 1648 to the Herzogtum Mecklenburg under the Peace of Westphalia and, after the partition in 1701, to Mecklenburg-Strelitz. A predecessor building from 1660 was erected as a pleasure pavilion for Herzog Christian Ludwig I. In the mid-18th century the dilapidated structure was demolished and replaced by a representative palace for Adolf Friedrich IV; the construction incurred costs significantly higher than planned. Until 1815 the building served as the official seat of ducal administrators; from 1840 cathedral provosts occupied the living quarters, before the Land Schleswig-Holstein took over the estate and in 1971 transferred the usage rights to the district for restoration. The restoration of 1971–1973 remedied structural damage and adapted the complex to museum requirements, for example through structural reinforcements, new flooring in the Rococo hall and the uncovering of a historic chimney in the kitchen.

Architecturally, the two-storey, eleven-bay building presents a unified brick façade with restrained white stucco and a three-bay central risalit, flanked by tall gables. Two lateral outbuildings originally formed, together with low walls, a forecourt; they served as stables and a carriage house and are today integrated into the exhibition areas. The interior layout follows Baroque symmetry: a vestibule and stairwell lead to smaller salons and the large ceremonial hall on the upper floor. The Rococo hall, decorated in turquoise and white, occupies the full depth of the house, its vaulted ceiling extending into the attic. Significant original elements include stuccowork by the sculptor Johann Nepomuk Metz, some overdoor panels (supraports) and remnants of historic parquet flooring. The Kreismuseum is dedicated to the history of Ratzeburg and the Herzogtum Lauenburg, presenting holdings on the Askaniern, on the duchy during the Thirty Years’ War, mechanical musical instruments and regional prehistoric finds; rotating special exhibitions and events in the ceremonial hall complement the programme.