Otto H. Kahn House facts for kids
The Otto H. Kahn House is a very large and fancy home in New York City. It was built between 1914 and 1918 for Otto H. Kahn. He was a rich banker and someone who gave a lot of money to good causes. This huge house, called a mansion, is found at 1 East 91st Street. It's in an area of New York City called Carnegie Hill, which is part of the Upper East Side.
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Building a Grand Home
Otto H. Kahn was a top partner at a big bank called Kuhn, Loeb and Co.. He hired two architects, J. Armstrong Stenhouse and C. P. H. Gilbert, to design his house. They built it in a style called neo-Italian renaissance. This means it looked like old, grand buildings from Italy's Renaissance period.
Inspired by Italian Palaces
The design of the mansion was based on the palazzo della Cancelleria in Rome. This was a famous building used by the Pope's office. It took four years to finish Kahn's house. It has about 80 rooms! There were also living areas for 40 servants. This made it one of the biggest and most beautiful private homes in America.
Inside the Mansion
The house had many special features. It included an indoor courtyard and a garden. There was also a private driveway with a doorman on duty all day and night. Inside, you could find a library with walls made of oak wood. There was also a very large room for parties and guests. When the house was finished, a magazine called Architectural Review praised it. They said it was an amazing example of old Italian architecture. They also said J. Armstrong Stenhouse had created one of the best homes of its kind in the country.
Art and Famous Guests
Otto Kahn had a huge collection of art in his mansion. This included beautiful tapestries and glass chandeliers. He also owned valuable paintings by famous artists like Botticelli. Many famous people were friends with Kahn. These included the singer Enrico Caruso and the composer George Gershwin. They often gave surprise performances right there in the mansion!
The House Today
Otto Kahn passed away in 1934. After his death, the house was sold. It became home to the Convent of the Sacred Heart. This is a private Catholic school for girls. In 1974, the Otto H. Kahn House was officially named a landmark. This means it's a special building that must be protected because of its history and beauty.
Images for kids
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Otto H. Kahn House
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See also
In Spanish: Casa de Otto H. Kahn para niños
