Polman, Påhlman, von Pohlmann family
exhibition
This exhibition is made possible by the generous contributions of Lansstyrelsen Kronoberg, the National Archives of Estonia, and Wikimedia Commons.
Manors in Estonia & Sweden
In the 17th and 18th centuries, the typical manor house in Sweden (herrgård) and Estonia (mõis) was a large country estate that was owned by the lord of the manor. Most manors were owned privately by the titled and untitled nobility in Sweden, who often received them as gifts for serving the Swedish Crown. This continued until the Great Reduction of 1680 when the Crown restored lands previously granted to the nobility. The term manor is often used to refer to the main building itself, the corps de logi or the manor house, but the manor was also a complex that included the land.
Some of the oldest Baltic manor houses were converted castles of knights. Their architecture was initially characterised by simplicity, and, in the Middle Ages, they were usually built of wood. They were grouped in closed, easily defended buildings. In the 16th century, manor houses began to be built of stone. They were modest in scale but were intended to emulate the stone castles of Europe. By the 17th century, the architecture took inspiration from France and the corps de logi was complemented with a Baroque garden.
Estonia & Sweden are renowned for their beautiful manor houses, many of which are well-preserved. The Polmans owned several throughout the centuries, including Ugglansryd, which was in the possession of the family for nearly 200 years.
Where would you like to go?
Travel across Sweden and Estonia and visit the manors owned by the Polmans. To visit a manor, click on the name in the map below, or continue scrolling.
Map illustration of Livonia in 1222 A.D.
© Luke Wells, Illustrator
History of Ugglansryd Manor
Three manors have existed within the parish of Ryssby – Stensnäs, Borsna, and Ugglansryd. The latter was said to be among the most beautiful, situated in Sunnerbo district by the eastern shore of Lake Stensjön, and surrounded by islands.
Originally a farm that was owned by the church during the Middle Ages, Ugglansryd passed to the Crown, and in the 1550s was in the possession of King Gustav Vasa. As early as 1559, the king leased the farm, first to Gunnar Galle the Elder and then to Galle’s brother Jöran Jonsson Galle, who converted it into a manor. Ugglansryd then passed to the Lilliesparre family, where it remained until 1623, coming into the ownership of Major Jöran Polman.
Ugglansryd remained in the Påhlman family for at least 175 years, a place where generations lived and thrived. In 1783, Anders Otto Påhlman constructed a sizeable corps de logis in the typical manor style, broken roof, without frontispieces. A couple of decades later, he sold the manor to Baron AJ Raab, whose family held onto Ugglansryd for a century. It was demolished in 1961, at which point Ryssby had lost one of its beautiful manor houses.
© Polmanarkivet
The Legend of Ugglansryd & Stensnäs
Ugglansryd is surrounded by a long peninsula and a few small islets that stretch out towards Stensnäs across the lake. According to an old legend, these land formations are the remnants of an ancient bridge-building project initiated by a former owner of Ugglansryd, who sought to connect it with the neighbouring farm, Stensnäs. The story goes that the owner made a bet with another nobleman, who was planning to build a church, to see who could complete their project faster. However, the bridge builder soon realised that the lake’s depths were swallowing up the rocks he was using, causing him to abandon the project. Remaining as visible evidence are the long headland and a few small islets.
Ugglansryd in the collections
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History of Ågården Manor
Ågården is a manor in Lidköping Municipality, Västra Götaland County, Sweden. The current main building is a well-preserved two-story Carolingian red-stained log building. This was built after an older stone house from 1492 was burned down by the Danes during the Kalmar War at the beginning of the 17th century.
Ågården has a long history, built in 1492 by Riksrädet Sigge Larson Sparre af Rossvik. It gradually came to members of the Krumme, Baät, Manesköld af Seglinge, Kafle and Kagg families. Baron Johan Kagg sold Agär-den at the beginning of the 18th century to the Wingeflycht family, and in 1746 the estate came to Major General and Governor Lorentz Christoffer Stobée, who died in 1756. His widow, Catharina Margareta Loos, remarried in 1762 to Court Marshal Axel Magnus Stiernsparre.
Stiernsparre turned Ågården into a fideikommiss to be inherited by the family. He made the proviso that if the Stiernsparre family died out, which was to be expected, the new owners would be obliged to add the name Stiernsparre to their own name. The trust passed through the Silfversparre and Påhlman families. The last owner was Axel Erik Gabriel Påhlman-Stiernsparre, who died in 1979. Thus, a branch of the family is known as Påhlman-Stiernsparre.
It is remarkable that for over 500 years of Ågården’s history, all of its nineteen owners belonged to the Swedish nobility, representing thirteen families, of which only three — Sparre, Silfversparre and Påhlman — still survive.
© Crafoord Auktioner
Lorentz Christoffer Stobée
The great era in Ågården’s history began in 1746, when Major General Lorentz Stobée took possession of the estate. Pleased with the honour he had received, Stobée began to look for a place outside the country where he could occupy himself with studies, drawing or painting, or with writing poetry in peace. He amassed a large portrait collection, hanging paintings of his own on the walls, as well as portraits of nobles, kings and important people. Part of his portrait collection and library remained there until at least the 1960s. Stobée also had the interior of Ågården modernised, with the Baroque style giving way to Rococo. Door panels were installed in keeping with the taste of the time. Some of the rooms were wallpapered. In a small drawing room on the second floor, called the Bird Room, you can see hand-painted paper wallpaper from the period with bird motifs. Stobée lived at Ågården until his death in 1756, when the manor passed to his widow, Catharina Margareta Loos.
Ågården in the collections
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History of Kodila Manor
Kodila (German: Koddil) manor was first mentioned in 1436. It originally belonged to the Livonian Order and served as the country residence for the Tallinn Castle Commander. During the 16th and 17th centuries, the manor was owned by the von Nieroths. After the Northern War, it came under the ownership of the von Wrangells. In 1772, Reinhold Wilhelm von Pohlmann acquired Kodila and lived there until his death. The current main building of the manor is believed to have been constructed in the 1770s during von Pohlmann’s time. Throughout the 19th century, Kodila changed hands multiple times, being owned by the Pohlmanns, von Tiesenhausens, von Drögemüllers, Zimmermanns, the state, and the knighthood. In 1876, the manor lost its knight’s manor status and became a semi-manor.
The baroque main building, situated on a high plinth, is a one-story stone structure with a half-pitched roof. The walls are adorned with mouldings, and there is a three-window-wide superstructure on the face of the second floor. Several outbuildings were also added to the main building. Behind the corps de logi, there is a beautiful park with a pond. Since 1999, the manor has been privately owned. Although historically located in Rapla parish in Harju County, it is currently administratively part of Rapla Parish in Rapla County.
© Ralf Roletschek / Roletschek.at
The estates of Reinhold Wilhelm von Pohlmann
Although Reinhold Wilhelm von Pohlmann had strong ties to Kodila, he also owned a significant number of other estates — both in Estonia and Russia. Apart from inheriting Öötla manor in the Estonian parish of St. Petri from his father, he acquired the Wrangell family’s manor Sicklecht from his mother-in-law in 1752 for an inheritance of 6,700 Reichsthalers.
In the 1760s, Reinhold Wilhelm bought the striking House 14 in St. Petersburg. The house boasted six stories, a turret, and high bay windows. This strategic move likely allowed him to be closer to Tsarskoye Selo, Catherine the Great’s summer palace, in order to fulfil his various duties. In 1777, Reinhold Wilhelm acquired a house in Reval on Langstrasse for 7,000 silver roubles from District Councilor Claus Gustav. In addition to these, in 1786 he was asked to take charge of Lohde Castle, now better known as Koluvere, which was the property of Catherine the Great. To facilitate this arrangement, Lohde was transferred to Wilhelm, who would manage the income and expenses of the estate.
Kodila in the collections
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History of Tuttomäggi Manor
Tuttomäggi manor, originally established by Jacob von Lunden, serves as a court estate nestled in a village beneath the grandeur of Leal Castle. Its inception came to be through a pledge made to von Lunden by King John III of Sweden in 1582. While the main building was officially completed during the late 18th century, historical records indicate the existence of a stone main building as early as the end of the 17th century.
The main manor house, a striking two-storey structure in the Baroque architectural style, showcases elements of Early Classicism blended with Baroque features. The manor building, made from plastered limestone, boasts a high-tiled roof and two mantled chimneys. The interior layout of the rooms adheres to the symmetrical plan popular during that time. On the ground floor, one will find a vestibule and vaulted utility rooms, while the upper floor features an enfiladed living room and hall.
In 1998, Tuttomäggi was listed on the Estonian Register of Cultural Monuments as an example of a late 18th-century manor house that has preserved its original appearance and architectural form. Historically, the manor was located in Karuse Parish in Läänemaa County. The present-day administrative distribution is Lihula Municipality in Läänemaa County.
PDM National Archives of Estonia
A Coveted Manor
Tuttomäggi was originally established as a farmstead by Jacob von Lunden in a village located under Leal Castle, which was granted to him by King John III of Sweden in 1582. The heirs of Jacob von Lunden had the right to transfer ownership of the manor to Jürgen Polman, a privilege that was officially confirmed in 1616. Unfortunately, Jürgen Polman’s tenure on the property was short-lived. In 1627, either Jürgen himself or his son, Jöran, provided a report to the Royal Commission in Reval regarding the land tracts and dwellings within the estate. However, despite their efforts, Jöran Polman’s request for a new letter of ownership for Tuttomäggi, which had been eagerly sought after by his father, was denied. Tuttomäggi eventually passed to Salomon Adam, whose family still owned it at the end of the 17th century.
Tuttomäggi in the collections
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History of Öötla Manor
Öötla, also known as Oethel estate, has a rich history dating back to the 17th century. The estate changed hands numerous times throughout the years, starting with Jürgen Polman and remaining within the family for several generations. Notable owners include Hans von Drenteln, Hermann Adrian von Römer, and Johann Friedrich Pastelberger who bought the manor in 1750. After a short period, ownership returned to the Pohlmanns before being purchased by Nicolas Friedrich von Hagemann in 1774. His son eventually sold the manor in 1804 to Georg Friedrich von Stackelberg. The Stackelberg family went on to own Öötla for many years until it was finally transferred, with the last owner being Alexander von Stackelberg.
The corps de logis of Öötla is a two-storey Baroque main building, which was constructed in the 1760s. The front façade of the stone house showcases a small wooden veranda, adding to its character. Inside the building, there are several rococo-cut interior doors, highlighting the elegance and style of the time. In the 19th century, a slightly lower-wing building was added to the estate. Some outbuildings have been converted or remain in ruins, offering a glimpse into the estate’s past. Today, Öötla remains privately owned. Historically, the manor was located in Peetri Parish in Järvamaa County. The present-day administrative distribution is Kareda Municipality in Järvamaa County.
PDM National Archives of Estonia
A gift from Gustavus Adolphus
Öötla manor was established in either 1623 or 1624 when Jürgen Polman obtained it through a grant from King Gustavus Adolphus. In 1631, a year before Gustavus Adolphus passed away, he gifted Öötla to Jürgen as a donation. Despite losing his other estates, Tuttomäggi and Piigandi, Jürgen managed to keep Öötla. After Jürgen’s death, his widow Gertrud von Bremen was allowed to keep the manor. The ownership was then transferred to Jürgen’s son, Claus Polman or Pohlmann, who is considered the founder of the von Pohlmann branch. Although Öötla changed hands between different families, the von Pohlmanns once again became the custodians of the estate when Reinhold Wilhelm von Pohlmann acquired the manor in 1752.
Öötla in the collections
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