Villa on a Hill

This morning the American Women Club of Düsseldorf organized a guided tour of the 19th century Krupp estate known as Villa Hügel in Essen.

This neoclassical mansion, built in 1873 with nearly 270 rooms, sits on a hill (hence the name) above the Ruhr River. While not nearly as impressive as southern Germany's famous medieval castles, it's still a wonder to imagine living in such a bourgeois palace. The original Krupps were entrepreneurs and industrialists famous for cast iron. They did not ascend to the status of German nobility (Krupp von Bohlen und Halbach) until about 1906.

Apparently, the original structure was vey stark, made of steel masked in French sandstone, and devoid of any fireplaces or highly flammable construction materials (with the exception of wooden floors and doors) as the senior Alfried Krupp had, among his many phobias, a fear of fire.

Later generations of the Krupp family enhanced the rooms with ornate mouldings, tapestries, and rugs. This is one of the more formal, renovated dining halls.

It's a worth a visit if you ever get to Essen. Especially in summer when the expansive gardens are in full bloom.

PS - KettwigeFrau was there, too :)