- Address: 145 Camp Rd, Dunedin 9077, New Zealand;
- Website: larnachcastle.co.nz;
- Phone: +64 3-476 1616
One of the architectural attractions of New Zealand , attracting tourists, is Larnac Castle ( Dunedin ). Nowadays it is a small campus, although it was once the largest settlement, which was promoted by gold mines in this region.
Built here, Larnac Castle is the only such structure on all New Zealand islands, which deserves the increased attention of tourists and local residents.
History of construction
The house was built in 1876 by a local banker, the richest man at that time, Larnaca. The construction was carried out for more than three years, and 200 people worked on the site. About ten years it took for internal finishing works.
At that time the castle was super modern, because for lighting the house methane gas was used - it was the lamps that worked on it. And methane was produced in a simple way - from toilets and siding places, from which pipelines were laid to lighting devices.
Unfortunately, the castle is famous for its sad history - several members of the Larnaka family died here, and later the master himself shot himself. They say that the reason for this was bankruptcy.
For more than fifty years the castle has been owned by the Barker family, which in the sixties of the last century bought it and began to restore and restore it.
What attracts the castle?
Larnac Castle looks impressive both outside and inside. It has a magnificent architecture, with towers, observation platforms on them. You can climb them by the incredible beauty of the spiral staircase and bewitched by the inexpressible New Zealand landscape opening from the tower.
The best materials from Europe were imported for external and internal finishing:
- Italian marble;
- English tiles;
- Venetian glass;
- Welsh shale.
But wood is only local, New Zealand.
Of course, after Larnac's death and the constant changes of owners, luxury and decoration faded, but the family Barker was able to return the castle to its former gloss. And to open access to its magnificence to tourists. With the only restriction - do not take pictures inside the castle!
By the way, for a stay of visitors the stable was converted into a comfortable mini-hotel. The restaurant is located in the ballroom. By the way, this move was successful - many prefer to stay here for a few days.
For walks, the garden is ideal - it is considered almost the best in the whole country. In addition to greenery, trees and shrubs, in the garden there are gazebos with stained glass windows, many unusual figures. The garden is quite large, in it there is a secluded corner for everyone, where you can enjoy the beauty of nature, peace and tranquility - both among the garden alleys, and on the shore of the lake, and near the fountains.
How to get there?
The main thing is to get to Dunedin , and it's not a problem to get to the castle itself. The attraction is a 20-minute drive from the city.
Here there is public transport, taxi services are operating, car rental outlets are open. The city can be reached by bus from Wellington - it takes about 12 hours.
The second option is a flight from Wellington by plane to Dunedin International Airport, which is located 23 kilometers from the city itself. But the cost of the flight is quite high - about NZ $ 260. But the road will need just a little less than an hour and a half. There is no railway communication with Dunedin.
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