Schloss Alt Madlitz

Schloss Alt Madlitz is a country house in the Oder-Spree district. It stands in the village of Alt Madlitz, surrounded by flat Brandenburg farmland. The building began in the 14th century as a small stone manor and grew into a three-storey classical residence in the 18th century. The Finck von Finckenstein family bought the estate in 1751 and made it one of their main homes in Brandenburg. A large English landscape park was laid out at the same time, with avenues, meadows and water features. The estate once covered 1,770 hectares, including farm buildings, a distillery and forest. The house carries the marks of its owners’ history. Field Marshal Albrecht Konrad Finck von Finckenstein was raised to the rank of count in 1710 for his service in the War of the Spanish Succession. In the 20th century the property was expropriated in 1945 and later used as a kindergarten by the East German state. After reunification the family returned, restored the building and recreated the park. The present owner inherited the estate in 2010 and continues farming, hunting and a farm shop. Visitors walk through the restored reception rooms where original stucco ceilings and the historic staircase remain. Outside, the park offers long tree-lined paths and open meadows, though only the outer areas are currently open to the public. At the edge of the grounds stands the inspector’s house, now a café. The family cemetery lies within the park, marking the resting place of the counts. The estate shows how a private house can revive its landscape and economy after decades of separation.