samsamsam

I visited this super large, 2200 sq feet, town house built for a super rich couple. it had hot, cold, and rainwater taps, central heating, electric lights in every room, bowling alley and gym at the attic, 2 lifts - one for food and another for people. this is the courtyard.



so basically a so-so rich duke married a super rich girl and together they built this house for their old age, after their 3 kids got married and shifted out. at one point they were the richest couple in sweden. the cost of the house was 1.5 million crowns, the cost of a large cathedral was 0.9 million crowns. Basically the architect was not given a budget.
the house was built for 2 people + 2 accompanying persons + 10 servants + weekly cleaners.
the wife had in mind to preserve the whole house with the contents and transform it into a museum long after she was gone. so she was the one who set up the board of museums, she catalogued every piece of furniture, jewelery, and decoration, with the full volume of stuff she archived reaching more than 150 hardback volumes.
she collected stuff like china from China, silverware, guns, armory, watches, snuff boxes, even a cupboard belonging to a past pope, alot of paintings, furniture,...



from the courtyard looking at the entrance


pay your 70 crowns ticket and keep your bag, then follow the tour. the locker room is a former store, where the rows of napkins, cups and other stuff are kept.





first floor (asian) / second floor (european) dining room. the glass quite unique. got this round motif thing that bulges out and are painted black around.



this is the 'ballroom' so to speak, where parties were held. you can see a steinway piano, with custom case. the room was made to fit the tapestry hanging around. the chandeliers were all converted from candle to bulbs early 1900's and its said that the dutchess herself wired all of them. notice the wall to wall, floor to ceiling adornment. it has been counted that 42 types of wood were used in this house.


china room. Basically the whole house, even when the couple were living was a museum. they were avid collectors and quite introverted. they hardly entertained guests and were rarely out. Everything seen in the house today was planned by the dutchess and she arranged them, bought glass casings for them, and the jewelery had sink in moulds purpose made during her time. every item also had a little metal tag attached to it for the cataloguing purpose. so everywhere in teh house, you see tags to everything, even chairs, plates and windows. So if the dutches wants to use certain jewelery or a watch, she has to open the case and get it out of the display. it was also reported that she didnt take out the catalogue tags when she went to concerts, so it was an eyesore to many to see these little tags dangling from her bracelet or other stuff. even the clothes and other personal artifacts were catalogued.


the bath. modern because of the full wall tiles. hot and cold piping. all the railings are marble. light from the sun utilized.


most of the floors are paraquet, and it squeeks when you walk. the steps are marble


decos everywhere. after awhile it just gets too much for your brain to handle how people can live in such luxury and grandeur. but i must say that the dutchess was a very far sighted lady and amazed with her lifelong work of collecting such a throve of treasure. she died at 85 years old in the house while still working on cataloguing some stuff. after her death, the building became the property of the government.


oh yes, this is how they keep the carpet on the steps still, by having these railings on each step.


the entrace roof


peering into the pantry which was below ground.


the porters entry door. see the little window? one servant would watch the traffic from it and report if anything happens outside. people coming in would also ring the bell and from the little window there is a winch to open the door.




teh townhouse from outside. looks very normal


the neighboour building seemed to be more ornately decorated outside. one suspects there is nothing inside.


oh yes, by the way, photography is prohibited in the building.