Schulenburg Mansion
Germany
The Schulenburg Mansion in Gera, Germany, was designed in 1914 by Henry van de Velde, a leading pioneer of early modern design and an important precursor to the Bauhaus movement. Commissioned by textile industrialist and art collector Paul Schulenburg, it was conceived as a Gesamtkunstwerk—a “total work of art”—in which architecture, interiors, furniture, and landscape were integrated into a unified artistic vision.
The surrounding park remains a key feature of the estate, with 110-year-old yew hedges and linden trees, a rose-lined pergola, and historically documented plantings that reflect its original design. A garden pavilion offers visitors a quiet viewpoint to enjoy the early spring sun and an open perspective over the rear of the ensemble.
After decades of neglect, the mansion underwent careful private restoration beginning in the late 1990s, following a research-based conservation approach. Today, it serves as a museum and cultural venue, hosting exhibitions, events, seminars, and community activities, alongside a café that supports its public role.
It received the European Heritage Awards / Europa Nostra Awards 2024 for its exemplary, research-based restoration that faithfully preserved the mansion as a complete and coherent artistic ensemble.