Visiting Hildasholm in Leksand - historic house and garden

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To visit Hildasholm in Leksand is to go on a breathtaking journey through time, filled with beautiful artefacts and creative garden rooms. This historic house also offers captivating stories from the past, art exhibitions and a cosy garden café.

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Hildasholm in Leksand

Hildasholm is the house in Leksand that was built by the doctor and author Axel Munthe, as a morning gift to his wife Hilda Pennington Mellor Munthe. Today it is a visitor centre with guided tours, a garden, café, art exhibitions and various events.

Hildasholm is located in the centre of Leksand, overlooking Lake Siljan.

Alex Munthe and Hilda - a marriage of convenience

They married in 1907 - the doctor Axel Munthe and Hilda Pennington Mellor. Munthe was about to turn 50 and she was 19 years younger. Axel was by this time world-famous as a doctor, author and royal physician. Hilda was the daughter of a wealthy English merchant who, among other things, owned his own merchant fleet.

On his honeymoon, Munthe took Hilda to the Siljan region in Sweden. He fell in love with Dalarna already as a young man, and now wanted to show this place to his new wife. She too was enchanted and wanted a summer home here.

Stone farm, as the house was then called, began construction in 1910, and a year later the building was completed. By then the couple had two sons: Viking (usually called Peter) and Malcolm.

From the outset, it was clear that the couple would live apart for much of the year. Hilda and her sons lived mostly in England, but spent summers at Hildasholm. Axel spent much of the year at the famous villa San Michele in Capri, Italy, which he commissioned.

One of Munthe's most important patients was Queen Victoria, who had respiratory problems. She spent much of her life in Capri, with Axel Munthe. It was impossible for royalty to divorce at this time, but the long stays abroad could be explained as being 'for health'. In fact, it was probably a 37-year love story.

King Gustaf V was bisexual, with a greater interest in men, and perhaps it was no problem for him that Victoria had a relationship with Munthe. When Hilda discovered that her husband was unfaithful, she was less happy. Her husband was no longer welcomed home to Hildasholm, and from 1919 they lived completely apart. Hilda focused on her sons, religiosity, puppetry, creating theatre productions with the locals and her garden.

Interestingly, Hilda had her own friendship with Queen Victoria, and when Victoria passed away, Axel Munthe took up residence at the Royal Palace, where he socialised with Gustav V.

Visiting Hildasholm - guided tour of the house

We booked a guided tour of the house at Hildasholm. Incredibly interesting! Our guide was fantastic and had, in each room, plenty of captivating stories to share.

The decor is unique and almost every item has a story to tell. Everywhere you look, there's an intriguing detail. For example, what about the bird on the ceiling, with its feathers hanging down...?

There are many exclusive pieces of furniture and artefacts in the house, often originating from other countries. The house is also filled with puppets and artistic creations. Sometimes it is the family members themselves who have painted directly on the walls... This is a house full of surprises!

Visiting Hildasholm - the garden

The gardens at Hildasholm were created by Hilda. As a child she grew up with classical gardens in England, France and Italy, and already at that time she developed an interest in gardening. She was also inspired by the Art & Craft movement.

As soon as Hildasholm was finished, Hilda began to sketch out how the garden would look. She created several garden rooms, all of which have a symmetrical basic shape, but otherwise look very different.

The gardens, which have names such as "Peacock Garden" and "Sunken Garden", can be visited on your own, by buying a garden entrance ticket. You will receive a map describing the 14 different garden rooms.

It is also possible to book a guided garden tour, accompanied by the Hildasholm gardener.

Café and art exhibitions

Hildasholm also has a charming and beautiful garden café, where coffee and light lunches are served.

Here you can't help but be fascinated by the moulded fir trees - a tradition more common in England than in Sweden.

Hildasholm also offers art, which varies from season to season, in the form of sculpture exhibitions in the garden and art in the café.

More to see and do in Leksand

In addition to visiting Hildasholm, which we highly recommend, there is of course more to things to see and do in Leksand. Maybe you want to experience Sweden's largest Midsummer celebration, go on a shrimp cruise with M/S Gustaf Wasa or maybe have a coffee at myisga Siljansäs? It is also close to Mora and Rättvik.

Have you visited Hildasholm?

Have you visited Hildasholm in Leksand? How was your experience of the visit?

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