Villa for sale in Am Hof 1, 02681 Schirgiswalde-Kirchau, Saxony, Germany

Historical

The settlement of Schirgiswalde is historically first referenced in the year 1376. On the foundation of the present mansion stood a castle that was part of a royal estate under the jurisdiction of the Kingdom of Bohemia. In 1635 Schirgiswalde was officially recognized as a town and was territorially transferred to the Electorate of Saxony as a result of the Peace of Prague which ended Saxony’s involvement in the Thirty Years War.

Anton Florian (1656-1721) purchased the town and castle in 1681 from the estate of Franz Eusebius von Pötting (1627 – 1678. Anton Florian later sold the estate and lands to the Catholic Church in 1703 upon his departure for Spain to serve Archduke Karl who would eventually become Emperor Charles VI upon the death of his brother in 1711. In 1719 Charles VI created the new principality of Lichtenstein specifically for the purpose of allowing Anton Florian admittance to the Reichstag; Anton Florian would become the first Prince of Lichtenstein and would reign until his death in 1721 in the only monarchy of the Holy Roman Empire that still exists to this day.

Schirgiswalde remained a functioning estate by the Catholic Church in the following decades during which time the estate as well area it occupied remained in geographic controversy: Bohemian claims to the land remained and towards the end of the century through well into the end of the Napoleonic wars the area was occupied at various times and by various interests. In 1813, with the end of the French presence, the region was claimed by Saxony and militarily occupied until formal border agreements were established in 1845.

During this period of time, the estate saw its greatest changes when it was converted by Bishop Ignaz Bernhard Mauermann (1786-1841) for the purpose of becoming the Bishop of Bautzens' official summer residence. Bishop Mauermann would later die at the summer residence he created in Schirgiswalde in 1841 and was replaced by his brother, Bishop Franz Laurenz Mauermann (1780-1845).

Apart from the one year in exile, the Countess von Thun-Hohenstein of Teschen and her family spent there in 1848, the mansion was used uninterrupted by the serving Bishop of Bautzen as a summer residence up until the close of the Second World War.

Bishop Petrus Legge would be exiled to the estate during the latter years of the second world war due to his years of outspoken defiance of the Nazi regime; the end of the war and the founding of the ddr would end the use of the estate as a summer residence for the residing Bishop.

In the post-war period, the estate found a variety of uses, most importantly as a school for music. In the 1970’s it was given the name “Pius Haus” and used by the Church as a shelter for women and children; most recently it was used as a kindergarten until the year 2006.

The Property

The classical period structure that emerged during the conversion in the 1830s was one story taller and included the addition of a formal garden as well installation of painted wallpaper in some of the rooms by the well-known French manufacturer Zuber & Son; including one room titled “Le Brasil” by the famous German painter Moritz Rugandas (1802-1858).

Overall there are four floors of built-out living space featuring ca. 675 m² of useable space. The loft space is unused but could be converted with planning permission. There is a partial cellar. The main floor stands on the original foundations and features 90cm thick walls. The main heating system occupies one room, a further two rooms flank the main entrance and hall finished off by the large kitchen facilities to the rear.

Steps take you to the first floor which features a total of four rooms and a large bathroom designed for the kindergarten. The stairwell winds further to the 2nd floor which was added during the conversion in the 1820s. This floor offers a total of five large rooms and bath facilities.

The mansard level is reached by another stairwell which opens up into a large open room with six further rooms available. The loft space is reached by a utility ladder while the stairs to the cellar are accessed to the left from the rear entrance to the building and wind downwards under the main staircase.
The listed mansion features approximately 675 m² of interior space over four floors and is situated on a 2.5-acre plot. The roof and heating system were renewed in the mid-1990s, internet available with dsl or Fibre.

For many years now the rich history of this centuries-old estate has proudly stood ready for the next chapter in its life and ready to share its story and add to it…...

Property Management Services

P2L Immobilien ag in cooperation with our exclusive partners in Germany are pleased to offer comprehensive property management services and consulting for our international Clients. If you presently own German property or are planning to own in the future please be sure to take advantage of our years of experience in making the right choices in maximizing your returns and meeting your long-term investment goals. We offer a variety of service levels as well can custom-tailor a package of services that are right for you- we provide all of our services in the English language and are fully licensed and insured in the city of Leipzig, Germany pursuant to Section 34cGewO (Trade Regulation Code).

Grundsteuerreform 2022 – Property Tax Reform Act 2022- have you heard of it?

If you were the registered owner of a piece of real estate in Germany on the date 1 January 2022 then you, as property owner, are required to submit a supplementary tax declaration to the appropriate regional Finance Office consisting of a comprehensive submission of information to assist the Tax Office in overhauling the property tax assessment process. This is a Federal mandate and applies to real estate of any kind in all of the German States. The deadline for submission of this required disclosure was 31.January 2023 however a large percentage of submissions remain open- authorities are threatening a variety of financial penalties if the remaining declarations are not made.

Are you required to file? Contact us today to determine your status and enquire on how we can assist you in coordinating the submission of the necessary Property Tax Reform declaration as soon as possible to avoid future penalties in the future.