Knollwood estate
Encyclopedia
The Knollwood estate was a Gold Coast era castle
-esque house and estate. Located in Muttontown, New York
, USA, its ruins are now part of the Muttontown Preserve.
Designed by architect
s Hiss and Weekes
, the 60-room main house was built on a 260 acres (1.1 km²) plot of land which encompassed the Westbrook Farms. Built between 1906 and 1920 for Wall Street
mogul and steel tycoon Charles Hudson, the huge stone mansion had classical columns and balustrades.
In 1951 it was famously purchased by King Zog of Albania
for approximately $102,800. It was rumoured that Zog bought the mansion with a bucket of diamonds and rubies. Although Zog intended the estate to be his kingdom-in-exile, staffed by Albania
n subjects, he never moved in. Rumours spread of Zog's riches being hidden in the mansion, and various looters ransacked the house, it fell into total ruin. Zog's parliament sold the estate in 1955. The local county works department of Oyster Bay pulled down the ruins of the home in 1959, for reasons of safety. A garden pavilion remained for many years, progressively vandalized, until it was razed to its foundation, also for safety reasons. The most visible present remains of the estate are the remnants of a double staircase to the old formal gardens, where traces of landscaping remain, some walkways disappearing under fallen litter and leaves, the pillars and entablatures of a pair of kiosks, and the gate structure at the old entrance to the grounds.
The ruins of the mansion's gardens and grounds are now part of the Muttontown Preserve, with the gated entrance located on Jericho-Oyster Bay Road (Route 106).
Castle
A castle is a type of fortified structure built in Europe and the Middle East during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars debate the scope of the word castle, but usually consider it to be the private fortified residence of a lord or noble...
-esque house and estate. Located in Muttontown, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, USA, its ruins are now part of the Muttontown Preserve.
Designed by architect
Architect
An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
s Hiss and Weekes
Hiss and Weekes
Hiss and Weekes was a notable architectural firm in New York active from 1899 to 1933, constructing a number of landmarks of Beaux-Arts architecture....
, the 60-room main house was built on a 260 acres (1.1 km²) plot of land which encompassed the Westbrook Farms. Built between 1906 and 1920 for Wall Street
Wall Street
Wall Street refers to the financial district of New York City, named after and centered on the eight-block-long street running from Broadway to South Street on the East River in Lower Manhattan. Over time, the term has become a metonym for the financial markets of the United States as a whole, or...
mogul and steel tycoon Charles Hudson, the huge stone mansion had classical columns and balustrades.
In 1951 it was famously purchased by King Zog of Albania
Zog of Albania
Zog I, Skanderbeg III of the Albanians , born Ahmet Muhtar Bey Zogolli, was King of the Albanians from 1928 to 1939. He was previously Prime Minister of Albania and President of Albania .-Background and early political career:...
for approximately $102,800. It was rumoured that Zog bought the mansion with a bucket of diamonds and rubies. Although Zog intended the estate to be his kingdom-in-exile, staffed by Albania
Albania
Albania , officially known as the Republic of Albania , is a country in Southeastern Europe, in the Balkans region. It is bordered by Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to the northeast, the Republic of Macedonia to the east and Greece to the south and southeast. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea...
n subjects, he never moved in. Rumours spread of Zog's riches being hidden in the mansion, and various looters ransacked the house, it fell into total ruin. Zog's parliament sold the estate in 1955. The local county works department of Oyster Bay pulled down the ruins of the home in 1959, for reasons of safety. A garden pavilion remained for many years, progressively vandalized, until it was razed to its foundation, also for safety reasons. The most visible present remains of the estate are the remnants of a double staircase to the old formal gardens, where traces of landscaping remain, some walkways disappearing under fallen litter and leaves, the pillars and entablatures of a pair of kiosks, and the gate structure at the old entrance to the grounds.
The ruins of the mansion's gardens and grounds are now part of the Muttontown Preserve, with the gated entrance located on Jericho-Oyster Bay Road (Route 106).