Knutskulla
Knutskulla (also spelled Knuts Kulla) is one of the 17 mansions of the Kulla Crown Domain. Together with Hederskulla and Herrkulla it traditionally formed the central part of the Kulla region. It is still managed directly by the Royal Court of Vittmark.
The original mansion was largely destroyed in the aftermath of the 7572 attempted coup d'etat in Vittmark against Queen Anna, when her uncle Ragnar Eriksson ätte av Knutskulla's conspirators were hiding behind the weak defence structure. It was rebuilt in a modern way and finished in 7606.
History
The core of the house dates back 800-1000 years and was originally a shrine dedicated to Exemplar Myrna. At that time it probably was nothing more than an outlying farmstead connected to the much older castle complex of Hederskulla. During the Greater Stoldavic Empire it was one of the few places where non-Stoldavian Exemplars were celebrated with such a shrine.
After the fall of the empire the remaining royal family resettled in Kulla. At that time the farmstead was turned into a mansion like several other kulla's in the region. The stables and residential dwellings around the central house were built together, including a main gate with two guard houses. Walls were fortified on the outside, but never to such an extent that it became a proper fort. The shrine now also was dedicated to King Knut, which gave the name to the latest addition (at the time) of the kulla's.
Knutskulla became more and more a branch of the centralised power from Hederskulla, usually the residence of family members a bit further removed from the leadership. Around 7250 the current constellation between Hederskulla, Knutskulla and Herrkula was established, with Knutskulla serving more as a family retreat and the central management of agriculture and forestry on the royal family's domains. Therefore Knutskulla was extended and refurbished several times, giving it more and more the character of a proper mansion instead of a powerhouse. Aesthetics were prioritised over defensive purposes and the former tower house got extended into a cross-formed building. The building got its typical light yellow color in the 7280's.
After the Pan-Anarian War more aesthetic updates were made to the mansion in the 7550's, especially the refurbishment of the left and right wing into residential quarters. It became the home of King Karl of Vittmark shortly after. When Vittmark was formed in 7564, Knutskulla started serving as the de facto capital of Kulla Kronområde. King Karl left the management of the compound and stim to his distant cousin Erik Ragnarsson, who already was the Lord of Knutskulla through his line marriage.
In 7572 the mansion was attacked by local villagers, who blamed the residents for the attempted coup d'état against Queen Anna. Despite the presence of Lidenish military the siege was bloody. Apart from some staff that wasn't living in the complex only four residents survived the attack. Although politically speaking this was only a footnote in the events surrounding the putsch, it was by far the most bloody event. The Queen's protegé and Herrkulla resident Svea Gefna reclaimed the complex from the local raiders. This made her the new landlady by definition. Together with the queen's mother Anicka av Sörenstam av Kulla she has led the rebuilding process of the complex, which was partially opened in April 7576.
Description
The current complex has four main buildings. The Shrine of Kung Knut den Store and Myrna is one of the few building structures that survived the attack. It was located as building-within-a-building inside the mansion, which largely burnt down. The old mansion has been partially rebuilt, with the ground floor restored and the second floor no longer in use. The first floor roof goes through the building, while the second floor roof no longer is intact, but only present in the form of wooden beams. With this structure Svea Gefna wanted to create a permanent memory of the events of 7572. The building was replastered and then painted orangy yellow.
At the right hand side the East Wing is largely intact as it has been built in the 7280's and restored in the 7550's. It also has been plastered and painted in the same color. The the building is used as guest accommodation for visitors and clergymen attending the shrine.
At the left hand side a new Conservatory has been built. The Conservatory functions as a miniature botanical garden, which tend to be centrepieces of Orkanan Halls. Built for plant growing, the Conservatory features a glass and metal roof supported by cemented sandstone piers. The building is open to the public, but the gardens behind them are only open when the royal family is not present. The stables and garage have been connected to this new conservatory, the old building has been integrated in the new and has received new facades and a second floor.
An open, covered corridor of about 100 ft (30m) long connects the conservatory with the new Mansion. Building started in 7574 and was partially completed two years later. The side facing the inner yard is the residence of the royal family, while the backside of the house is used by staff. On the ground floor a library, dining room, and living room all open into each other, with the dining room continuing out to a large covered porch. It employs a structure of masonry piers and steal beams creating large open spaces, as well as the distinct distinct cantilevers on the outside. The mansion and conservatory have been built in a modern architectural style of the time, replacing the traditional lay-out of most kulla's. It emphasises horizontal lines, with slightly sloping roof sticking out over the outer perimeter walls considerably. Large windows follow this same horizontal direction, as well as the grey natural stone ornamentation on the outside. It has a very rhythmical composition but is by no means symmetrical. It does not fit into the imperial architectural tradition, neither into the more modern organically inspired architecture currently in use in the larger cities north of the Blue Mountains.