Larnach Castle

"No expense was sparred for the construction of Mew Zealand only castle Construction of Larnach Castle began in 1871 and after three years work by 200 craftsmen the Larnach family moved in. It would, however, take another twelve years work for the interior to be complete. Born in Australia, William Larnach's banking career started in the goldfields of South Australia before he became manager of the Bank of Otago, based in Dunedin, New Zealand. A great entrepreneur, he also had a great ego. Riding with his son Donald on the high ground of the Otago Peninsula, he searched out the best view for a grand family house. Larnach Castle was built for his first wife, Eliza, in a mixture of the Gothic revival and colonial styles. No expense was spared on the construction materials and furnishings. Along with craftsmen from around the world came marble from Italy, tiles from England, glass from Venice and France, and slate from Wales. Wood used included both native and exotic species. The nursery was equipped with a 1 ton marble bath, a replica of the one found in the ruins of Herculaneum. In 1886 a ballroom was added to the castle as a twenty first birthday present for William's favorite daughter, Kate. Unfortunately she died shortly after her birthday and the ballroom is said to be haunted by her ghost. When Larnach became a politician, the castle was used to entertain many of the country's leading figures. In 1898, William Larnach shot himself in the parliament building. With no valid will, family infighting broke out, eventually leading to the sale of the castle. Through periods of use as a mental asylum and World War II billet, the building fell into a very poor state of repair. In 1967, the Barker family bought the castle and set about restoring it and opening it to the public. It is now one of Dunedin's top tourist attractions, and once again echoes its former heyday as New Zealand's only castle."