Villa Alma, Gothic Revival villa in Männedorf, Switzerland.
Villa Alma is a two-story residence in Männedorf with pointed arches, ribbed vaults, and flying buttresses that define its Neo-Gothic style. The building combines Gothic architectural elements with Art Nouveau decorative details throughout its interior spaces and sits within grounds that include a bathhouse, boathouse, and additional outbuildings.
The residence was commissioned by Emil Staub in 1906 and designed by architects Richard Kuder and Joseph Müller alongside his leather manufacturing facilities. The property remained in family hands until 1970, when the municipality of Männedorf acquired it and adapted it for use as a nursing home.
The residence served as the home of a prosperous industrial family and displays the refined taste of early 20th-century wealthy society through its architectural details and ornamental design. Walking through the property, visitors can observe how affluence was expressed through careful attention to architectural style and craftsmanship.
The property is located in Männedorf on Lake Zurich and is protected as a cultural monument of national significance. The extensive grounds with their various buildings provide insight into the layout of an early industrial-era family estate, though access to the interior is restricted.
The villa takes its name from Alma Terlinden, the wife of owner Emil Staub, who lived here until her death in 1970. This personal naming tradition has remained a defining characteristic of the protected property.
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