Myren Gård, Kristiansand, Norway

This beautiful mansion, is called Myren Gård. It is located just a few kilometers west of Kristiansand city centre. It is a stately mansion with park-like garden, The house was built with the purpose of serving as a summer residence (1854-56). The house is build in an architectorial style called Swiss style. The garden is arranged in an English landscape style. I wasn't planning to visit, but when I happend to pass, I just desided to have a look. When I came around to the entrance, I learned that there would be a free, guided tour, starting shortly. So I jouned the tour together with a lot of other visitors.

Architectural style – the main house

The two-story main house is built in the Swiss style. It is build on a one meter thick stone wall. On the opposite side of the yard, there is an elongated outbuilding. To day you will find toilets and an art gallery here.

Small cabin in the park

The wooden houses in Swiss style are found in northern Europe architecure from aprox 1840 to 1935. This style originated in Switzerland and Germany. The building style was inspired by the mountain landscapes of the Alps. What characterizes the style is, among other things, the emphasis on gables, carved ornaments and moldings, as well as the colors in which the houses are painted.

The library Room with a fireplace

I am glad I stayed to join the tour. The guide, who seemed to be in her mid seventies, is named Siren. She told us that she is doing guided tours once a week during the whole summer. She starts the tour by telling us the story of the house before we move on to the rooms and at then the garden. What made this guided tour special, was the fact that she is the the grandchild of the last owner of the house. She could tell so many small details from her childhood. As a child she had spend every summer at the house, together with her siblings. Her grandmother sold the estate in 1964.

After Siren has given us the history of the building, we wander from room to room. There are many beautiful details. The high ceilings give a good feeling of space. We first went into the library which has a richly decorated ceiling.

Then we went to the other side where there was a music room, as well as a nice living room, which was only used on special occasions. There was no furniture here. What was a bit fun was two young girls who were on the tour and dressed up in period clothing. They were happy to pose for photos.

Rooms on the 2nd. Floor View of the park

The history of the house

In 1854 the place was bought by Johan Heinrich Wild who came to Kristiansand from Switzerland. Eventually he married. The couple lived in the city center of Kristiansand, but he built Myren Gård (1854 -1856) because he wanted a summer residence for his wife. She was ill and he believed that the fresh air would do her good. Unfortunatly she did die shortly after it was finished.

Wild was the owner until 1894. Then he sold to Sirens great-great-grandfather, who was a rather wealthy businessman. The manison was used as a year-round residence by Sirens family from 1930 until the municipality bought and took over tin 1964.

The wooden pier used to be here

Siren gave us extra time to walk around the house before she took us for a walk through the park.

Art on a dead tree

The park

The name Myren derives from the fact that the the place used to be marsh land. "myr" means marsh in English. When they started to landscape the garden they needed soil. Because the mansion had its own pier, the sailing ships could dock. When they sailed from Norway, there was lumber on board. On the return trip, there was soil as ballast. This was used to create the park.
It was a gardener who has designed the park in English landscape style. The work took almost five years.Siren could tell that the park has 170 different trees and bushes. She could point out some of them to tell about when they played in the park as children.

Because these soils came from different countries, some exotic seeds found its way to this park. Many of these seeds grew to become plants that seemed to thrive in our climate. Therefore the park has a flora you normally only find on latitudes further south. The park has rhododendron, Sequoia gigantea, leaf maple, walnut black pine, willow and Japanese cherry trees. Only they didn't blossom now in July. Siren told that the park hasn't changes much since its creation. The tour around the park ends close to the carpark. The park is open, so everyone can walk through it for free any time of the year. I am glad I joined the tour. I do think I will come back when the season change, just to take a walk through the park.