Stülpe – A place in history

If you love soft meadows and the banks of calmly flowing rivers, dense forests and idyllic lakes, the Flaeming Heath in the north-eastern part of Germany is the right place for you. You will find no other landscape with such idiosyncratic features in Germany. The jewels in the crown of this piece of land are the many manor houses that most certainly do not mind if you call them palaces “. One of the most beautiful among them is Stülpe Manor, built in 1754 during the Baroque period by aristocrat Adam Ernst II von Rochow.   This aristocratic estate on the outskirts of the small village of Stülpe is steeped in history, located only an hour’s drive from Berlin, which offers operas, theatres and museums. The famous palaces of Potsdam are also within “reaching distance”. In 2006, Barbara and Wolfgang Rupilius bought the beautiful property, together with farm, horse stables, forge, servants’ house and a 12 acre park with an aged tree population. Buying the house was a dream come true for the husband and wife. A dream that they want to share with other people. And that is why the palace, despite its old age, has not seen its best days yet.

The last of the originals

The magic of Stülpe lies in the fact that it is a work in progress. It elevates Stülpe into a fourth dimension: the dimension of time. Not only because of this are the new “Lord and Lady of the Manor”, Dr. Wolfgang Rupilius and his wife Barbara, committed to the history of the noble house and its region. Everything they undertake is aimed at preserving the rare ensemble, listed as a historic monument. Stülpe Manor is in a class of its own! Replete with praise, experts from the Brandenburg Department for Heritage Conservation have awarded the manor the finest grades. In their report the department states that “the building has almost completely retained its Baroque form until this day.” By local standards, the exceptionally elaborate and detailed façade makes Stülpe stand out among “the majority of manor houses in Brandenburg”.
Yet not only the manor itself but also parts of the Baroque layout of the estate have been preserved in their original form. Two elongate, well-proportioned houses, on which restoration work is still diligently under way, stand with their backs to the road and keep out any prying eyes. The hipped curb roofs crown the single-storey plastered houses like hats. The building on their left used to be the living quarters of the coachman, the chef and the children’s private tutor until 1945. Today it is where guests can enjoy the most luxurious studio flats. The former stables and coach house to the right used to house the estate’s many horses and carriages.

Another surprising feature can be found on the walls of the box stalls: they are lined with tiles made of Meißen porcelain, to this day the purveyor of finest china. The old stables are unparalleled in terms of their beauty in this area known as the march of Brandenburg.

  Whereas restoration work on the buildings is already far advanced, the forge , the servant’s quarters , the former engine shed and the wooden clock tower – once a landmark of the old manor – still do not know when their hour of rescue will come. Although the new owners have a clear vision of how they wish the future for Stülpe to unfold, even their best ideas cannot thrive without money. But no matter if finely restored or still in nostalgic faded hues, the overall architectural ensemble of Stülpe Manor with all its rough edges and irregularities is of “extraordinary value in terms of its artistic and historical design” in Brandenburg. The estate is intrinsically valuable. The last of the originals. So say the experts from the Department for Heritage Conservation. And they ought to know.