Villa Kathrine facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
|
|
Villa Kathrine
|
|
Villa Kathrine exterior in 2020
|
|
 Location in Illinois
|
|
| Location |  Quincy, Illinois |
|---|---|
| Built | 1900 |
| Architect | George Behrensmeyer |
| Architectural style | Moroccan Islamic |
| NRHP reference No. | 78001110 |
| Added to NRHP | December 8, 1978 |
The Villa Kathrine is a super cool house in Quincy, Illinois. It looks like a building from Morocco, a country in North Africa! It sits high up, looking over the amazing Mississippi River. People in Quincy sometimes tell a fun story about a lost treasure connected to this house. There's even a friendly ghost story about a dog that might live there!
Contents
The Story of Villa Kathrine
This special house, which some people even call a castle, was built way back in 1900. A talented architect named George Behrensmeyer designed it for a rich man from Quincy named W. George Metz. Mr. Metz really loved buildings from countries around the Mediterranean Sea. The Villa Kathrine was his home when he wasn't traveling all over the world.
From Home to Historic Site
Mr. Metz sold his unique castle in 1912. After he sold it, the house slowly started to fall apart. It wasn't taken care of for many years. But then, in 1978, a group of people called Friends of the Castle decided to save it! They worked hard to fix up the Villa.
Restoring the Castle's Beauty
The big job of fixing the castle was finished in 1998. Over the years, people have given or found special furniture and decorations. These items help the castle look even more like its original Moroccan style. Today, the Villa Kathrine is the official place where tourists can get information about the City of Quincy. You can also take a tour of the castle, but you need to make an appointment first.
Inside the Villa Kathrine
When you go inside the castle, you'll find some amazing rooms. There's a special area called a harem, a lovely courtyard, and a calm reflecting pool. Many of the designs you see, both inside and outside the building, came from drawings Mr. W. George Metz made. He drew these pictures when he was traveling the world and saw beautiful Islamic buildings.
Villa Kathrine on Film
In 2010, the Villa Kathrine was used as a place to film a movie! It was for a Struber Productions film called Fang. The movie hasn't been released yet, but it's cool to know this special house was part of it.
