Larnach Castle

Larnach Castle, Dunedin, New Zealand, is an industrial villa from the second half of the 19th century. The villa, which is often referred to by New Zealanders as the only castle (castle ) of New Zealand, situated about 15 km from the city center Dunedin away on one of the hills of the Otago Peninsula, with a fascinating panoramic view of Otago Harbour, the Pacific Ocean and the peninsula itself.

Larnach Castle, named after its owner William Larnach (1833-1898), banker, businessman and politician, was built from 1871 in three years of construction of the New Zealand architect Robert Lawson ( 1833-1902 ) and obtained from Larnach family in 1874.

After completion of the villa boasted the building as one of the finest and most impressive private residences in New Zealand. The architecture of Larnach Castle is occasionally associated with the Scottish Baronial style. But that does not quite, because the villa with the combination of a reminiscent of a Gothic residential tower midsection and located on both sides of it glazed verandahs with cast iron girders is a typical building of the Victorian period. Only the central facade with the Gesimsbändern, the high, narrow windows, the battlements and the small lookout tower on the flat roof of the villa gives its castle-like appearance. The interior of the building was carried out not less expensive. Marble from Italy, stone from Aberdeen, Venetian glass, exotic woods and imported from Europe artisans showed that there should not arise any house. 200 men worked for three years at the Villa, and twelve more years it would take until the interior was completed. As a gift to the 21st birthday of his daughter Kate was Larnach 1884 supplement the villa to a 280 -square-foot ballroom. It was then publicly estimated that the cost of the villa must have so be around £ 150,000.

After the suicide Larnach on 12 October 1898, the villa was auctioned in 1900 with all belongings and used as a rest home for nuns. 1906 Larnach Castle came into the possession of the government and was used until 1918 as a hospital. Thereafter, unused, the property was abandoned to vandalism. 1927, the family bought the estate Purdie, restored the villa and used it as an exhibition for antiques. Without continued to be used, changed the property from 1939 to three times the owners until finally 1967, the family bought the estate Barker with the now dilapidated mansion. With much attention to detail, the villa was restored; you tried to restore it to its original state. Today is Larnach Castle is not only a major tourist attraction Dunedin and New Zealand, it has also become luxury hotel and venue for various events.