Hildasholm, Historical mansion in Leksand, Sweden.
Hildasholm is a manor-like estate by Lake Siljan just north of Leksand Church, designed by architect Torben Grut and built in 1910–1911 for Axel Munthe as a gift to his wife Hilda Pennington-Mellor. The main building is accompanied by gardens laid out by Hilda when the house was new, with a flower-rich south side inspired by England and France and shaped conifers on the north side.
The residence was completed in 1911 as a summer home for physician Axel Munthe and his English wife Hilda, who spent seasonal time there with their two sons. The property emerged during a period when Sweden's prosperity and the Arts and Crafts style were shaping how such estates were designed.
The house was named Stengården when it was built, and it was only after Hilda Munthe's death in 1967 that it became known as Hildasholm. The property was given in 1980 by the couple's son Malcolm to the Hildasholm Foundation, created by the Munthe descendants together with the Zorn Collections in Mora, Leksand Municipality and Leksand Parish.
The estate lies just north of Leksand church, on the shore of Lake Siljan. The gardens are visited on foot, and the grounds include a south-facing flower garden and clipped spruces to the north, so allow time to walk between sections. The house is shown by guided tour only.
Parts of the grounds were designed by Hilda herself, who expressed her personal interests through specialized garden areas including a kitchen garden and a medicinal garden. These personalized sections reveal what the lady of the house valued and where she focused her attention.
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