Isla Johnston as young Beth in the Methuen Orphanage for Girls in the Queen’s Gambit. Photo courtesy of Netflix.
The Schulzendorf Castle outside Berlin is used as the setting for the Methuen Orphanage for Girls, where Beth is sent after the death of her mother. An addition to the series, which is not present in the book, is the backstory of Beth’s mother and father. Cinematically, this works well to give more context to Beth’s genius and struggle.
The Schulzendorf castle was built starting in 1889 by Moritz Israel who founded the first department store in Berlin, Kaufhaus Nathan Israel. The castle was lost by the family during World War II when they fled the Nazis, became part of Soviet-occupied East Germany after the war, and was not restored to the Israel family until 1993. In The Queen’s Gambit, there is one significant alteration done in CGI: the tower of the castle is made to match the brick and stone of the facade on the building.
Michelle is the founder of Untapped New York. She is the author of Secret Brooklyn: An Unusual Guide,New York: Hidden Bars & Restaurants, and Broadway. She is a graduate of Harvard College in the History of Art and Architecture and holds a master’s degree in urban planning from Columbia University Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation, where she is an Adjunct Professor of Architecture. Official Website
