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| image = Olana2006_3 edit1.jpg
| image = Olana2006_3 edit1.jpg
| caption = The Olana mansion
| caption = The Olana mansion
| location = [[Greenport, Columbia County, New York|Greenport]], [[New York|NY]]
| location = [[Greenport, Columbia County, New York|Greenport]], [[New York]]
| nearest_city = [[Hudson, New York|Hudson]]
| nearest_city = [[Hudson, New York|Hudson]]
| lat_degrees = 42 | lat_minutes = 13 | lat_seconds = 03 | lat_direction = N
| lat_degrees = 42 | lat_minutes = 13 | lat_seconds = 03 | lat_direction = N
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| architect = [[Calvert Vaux]]
| architect = [[Calvert Vaux]]
| architecture = [[Persian architecture|Persian]], [[Victorian architecture|Victorian]]
| architecture = [[Persian architecture|Persian]], [[Victorian architecture|Victorian]]
| designated= [[June 22]], [[1965]] <ref name="nhlsum">{{cite web|url=http://tps.cr.nps.gov/nhl/detail.cfm?ResourceId=365&ResourceType=Building
| designated= June 22, 1965 <ref name="nhlsum">{{cite web|url=http://tps.cr.nps.gov/nhl/detail.cfm?ResourceId=365&ResourceType=Building
|title=Frederic E. Church House (Olana)|date=2007-09-11|work=National Historic Landmark summary listing|publisher=National Park Service}}</ref>
|title=Frederic E. Church House (Olana)|date=2007-09-11|work=National Historic Landmark summary listing|publisher=National Park Service}}</ref>
| added = [[October 15]], [[1966]]
| added = October 15, 1966
| visitation_num =
| visitation_num =
| visitation_year =
| visitation_year =
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| governing_body = [[New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation]]
| governing_body = [[New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation]]
}}
}}
'''Olana State Historic Site''', also known as '''Frederic E. Church House''', is located in [[Columbia County, New York]], [[USA]]. The site is the former estate of artist [[Frederic Edwin Church]]. Olana is located in the south part of the [[Greenport, Columbia County, New York|Town of Greenport]] and is south of [[Hudson, New York]] and east of [[Catskill, New York]].
'''Olana State Historic Site''', also known as '''Frederic E. Church House''', is located in [[Columbia County, New York]], [[USA]]. The site is the former estate of artist [[Frederic Edwin Church]] (1826–1900). Olana is located in the south part of the [[Greenport, Columbia County, New York|Town of Greenport]] and is south of [[Hudson, New York|Hudson]] and east of [[Catskill, New York]]. Olana means "our church on high" in [[Arabic]].


The main building at Olana is an architectural masterpiece created by Church for himself, his wife, and his four children. Church was one of the most renowned American artists of the [[Hudson River School]] of painting. The stone, brick, and polychrome-stenciled villa is a mixture of [[Victorian architecture|Victorian]] and [[Persia]]n styles.<ref name="nrhpinv"/>
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[[Image:View of Hudson and Catskills from Olana.jpg|200px|left|thumb|View of the Hudson and Catskills from Olana]]


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[[Image:View of Hudson and Catskills from Olana.jpg|left|thumb|A fair portion of the [[Hudson Valley]] and [[Catskill Mountains]] can be seen from Olana.]]
Olana is a masterpiece created by Frederic Edwin Church (1826 - 1900), one of the most renowned American artists of the Hudson River School. The stone, brick, and polychrome stenciled Persian-style villa is the best known element of Olana. Church designed "the castle" as the family home for his wife and four children, as well as a multidimensional work of art. Church's architectural approach paralleled the way he planned his artwork - first pencil sketches, followed by more finished colored sketches, then creation. The exotically furnished interior remains as it was during Church's lifetime, decorated with an eclectic mixture reflecting Church's aesthetic sense, objects from Church's extensive travels, and paintings by the artist and his friends. Notable is the intricate stenciling on both the exterior of the building and the interior rooms. Each decorative stencil was created by Church, its design inspired by his travels to the Middle East and illustrations from books in his extensive library. The site also has the last of Church's studios, built as an addition to his home in 1888-1890.
The grounds, now more than 250 acres (1 km²), exceed the amount of land that Church purchased for his home. An extensive stretch of the [[Hudson Valley]] and the [[Catskill Mountains]] can be seen from the property and the house. The picturesque landscape was designed and implemented over a 40-year period by Church, changing the treeless agricultural fields into an artistic landscape featuring gardens, tree-lined drives, a park and a lake.<ref>New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation. [http://www.nysparks.com/sites/info.asp?siteID=21 Olana State Historic Site]</ref>


The interior remains much as it was during Church's lifetime, exotically furnished and decorated with objects from his global travels, and with some 40 paintings by Church and his friends. The house is intricately stenciled inside and out; Church designed the stencils based on his travels in the [[Middle East]]. The house contains Church's last studios, built as an addition in 1888–1890.
Olana encompasses the house, the farm and the entire 250-acre estate owned by Frederic Church. The picturesque landscape, with panoramic vistas of the Hudson River and the Catskill Mountains, like the house, was designed by Church. Over a 40-year period he transformed 250 acres of treeless farm fields into an artistic composition encompassing a lake, park, farm, extensive road system, and gardens. Visitors throughout the year enjoy guided and self-guided tours of the Church-inspired landscape.<ref>[Olana State Historic Site]http://www.nysparks.com/sites/info.asp?siteID=21, New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation</ref>


⚫
Olana is one of the few intact artists' home-, studio- and estate-complexes in the United States; it was designated a [[National Historic Landmark]] in 1965.<ref name="nhlsum"/><ref name="nrhpinv">{{citation|title={{PDFlink|[http://pdfhost.focus.nps.gov/docs/NHLS/Text/66000509.pdf National Register of Historic Places Inventory-Nomination: Frederic E. Church House]|442&nbsp;[[Kibibyte|KiB]]<!-- application/pdf, 453513 bytes -->}}|author=Richard Greenwood|date=December 12, 1975 |publisher=National Park Service}} and {{PDFlink|[http://pdfhost.focus.nps.gov/docs/NHLS/Photos/66000509.pdf Accompanying 8 photos, exterior, from 1975 and 1964.]|834&nbsp;[[Kibibyte|KiB]]<!-- application/pdf, 854629 bytes -->}}</ref>
Olana is operated by the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, Taconic Region, and receives support from The Olana Partnership, a private 501(c)3 organization.


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Olana was featured in [[Bob Vila]]'s [[A&E Network]] production, ''Guide to Historic Homes of America.''<ref name="Vila Historic America">{{cite web |url= http://www.bobvila.com/BVTV/AE/America.html |title= "Guide to Historic Homes of America." |author= [[Bob Vila]] |format= [[html]] |work= [[A&E Network]] |date= 1996 |quote= }}</ref> It is also the inspiration for a song by [[United States|American]] singer-songwriter [[Marc Cohn]], ''Olana'', from his 1998 album ''[[Burning the Daze]]''.<ref>[http://www.lyrics007.com/Marc%20Cohn%20Lyrics/Olana%20Lyrics.html, Lyrics of the song "Olana"] by Marc Cohn, about Church and the property.</ref>
⚫
Olana is one of the few intact artists’ home, studio and estate complexes in the United States; it was designated a [[National Historic Landmark]] in 1965.<ref name="nhlsum"/><ref name="nrhpinv">{{citation|title={{PDFlink|[http://pdfhost.focus.nps.gov/docs/NHLS/Text/66000509.pdf National Register of Historic Places Inventory-Nomination: Frederic E. Church House]|442&nbsp;[[Kibibyte|KiB]]<!-- application/pdf, 453513 bytes -->}}|author=Richard Greenwood|date=December 12, 1975 |publisher=National Park Service}} and {{PDFlink|[http://pdfhost.focus.nps.gov/docs/NHLS/Photos/66000509.pdf Accompanying 8 photos, exterior, from 1975 and 1964.]|834&nbsp;[[Kibibyte|KiB]]<!-- application/pdf, 854629 bytes -->}}</ref>

⚫
Olana was featured in [[Bob Vila]]'s [[A&E Network]] production, ''Guide to Historic Homes of America.''<ref name="Vila Historic America">{{cite web |url= http://www.bobvila.com/BVTV/AE/America.html |title= "Guide to Historic Homes of America." |author= [[Bob Vila]] |format= [[html]] |work= [[A&E Network]] |date= 1996 |quote= }}</ref> It is also the inspiration for a song by [[United States|American]] singer-songwriter [[Marc Cohn]], ''Olana'', from his 1998 album ''[[Burning the Daze]]''.


==Visiting Olana==
==Visiting Olana==
Olana is located about 45 minutes south of [[Albany, New York|Albany]], [[New York]]. The grounds are open from 8 AM to sunset throughout the year. Tours of the house are available Tuesday through Sunday and holiday Mondays, 10 AM to 5 PM, from April to October. From November to March, tours are from 11 AM to 4 PM, Friday through Sunday. Reservations are recommended, but not required, for groups of fewer than 15 people. More information about tour times, hours, and entry fees can be found at the [http://www.olana.org/visit_seasons.html website].
Olana is less than an hour's drive south of [[Albany, New York]]. The grounds are open during the day throughout the year. Organized tours of the house and studio are available Tuesday through Sunday, and holiday Mondays, from April to October. From November to March, tours are conducted Friday through Sunday. Reservations are recommended, but not required, for groups of fewer than 15 people.


==References==
==References==
⚫
[[Image:Olana inner courtyard.JPG|thumb|right|Olana mansion inner courtyard]]
{{reflist}}
{{reflist}}


== External links ==
== External links ==
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* [http://www.olana.org Official Site]
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[[Image:Olana inner courtyard.JPG|thumb|right|Olana mansion inner courtyard]]
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* [http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/ampage?collId=pphhphoto&fileName=ny/ny0500/ny0506/photos/browse.db&action=browse&recNum=0&title2=Olana,%20State%20Route%209G,%20Hudson,%20Columbia%20County,%20NY&displayType=1&itemLink=D?hh:7:./temp/~pp_ZE8A:: Olana (33 photos)], at [[Historic American Buildings Survey]]
* [http://nysparks.state.ny.us/sites/info.asp?siteID=21 Olana State Historic Site] at NYS Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation
* [http://nysparks.state.ny.us/sites/info.asp?siteID=21 Olana State Historic Site] at NYS Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation
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* [http://www.olana.org The Olana Partnership]
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* [http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/ampage?collId=pphhphoto&fileName=ny/ny0500/ny0506/photos/browse.db&action=browse&recNum=0&title2=Olana,%20State%20Route%209G,%20Hudson,%20Columbia%20County,%20NY&displayType=1&itemLink=D?hh:7:./temp/~pp_ZE8A:: Olana (33 photos)], at [[Historic American Buildings Survey]]
* [http://www.hvnet.com/houses/olana Summary information about Olana]
* [http://www.hvnet.com/houses/olana Summary information about Olana]
* [http://www.kaiku.com/olana.html Olana information]
* [http://www.kaiku.com/olana.html Olana information]

Revision as of 22:06, 18 May 2009

Frederic E. Church House (Olana)
The Olana mansion
LocationGreenport, New York
Nearest cityHudson
Area250 acres (1 km²)
Built1872
ArchitectCalvert Vaux
Architectural stylePersian, Victorian
NRHP reference No.66000509
Added to NRHPOctober 15, 1966

Olana State Historic Site, also known as Frederic E. Church House, is located in Columbia County, New York, USA. The site is the former estate of artist Frederic Edwin Church (1826–1900). Olana is located in the south part of the Town of Greenport and is south of Hudson and east of Catskill, New York. Olana means "our church on high" in Arabic.

The main building at Olana is an architectural masterpiece created by Church for himself, his wife, and his four children. Church was one of the most renowned American artists of the Hudson River School of painting. The stone, brick, and polychrome-stenciled villa is a mixture of Victorian and Persian styles.[2]

A fair portion of the Hudson Valley and Catskill Mountains can be seen from Olana.

The grounds, now more than 250 acres (1 km²), exceed the amount of land that Church purchased for his home. An extensive stretch of the Hudson Valley and the Catskill Mountains can be seen from the property and the house. The picturesque landscape was designed and implemented over a 40-year period by Church, changing the treeless agricultural fields into an artistic landscape featuring gardens, tree-lined drives, a park and a lake.[3]

The interior remains much as it was during Church's lifetime, exotically furnished and decorated with objects from his global travels, and with some 40 paintings by Church and his friends. The house is intricately stenciled inside and out; Church designed the stencils based on his travels in the Middle East. The house contains Church's last studios, built as an addition in 1888–1890.

Olana is one of the few intact artists' home-, studio- and estate-complexes in the United States; it was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1965.[1][2]

Olana was featured in Bob Vila's A&E Network production, Guide to Historic Homes of America.[4] It is also the inspiration for a song by American singer-songwriter Marc Cohn, Olana, from his 1998 album Burning the Daze.[5]

Visiting Olana

Olana is less than an hour's drive south of Albany, New York. The grounds are open during the day throughout the year. Organized tours of the house and studio are available Tuesday through Sunday, and holiday Mondays, from April to October. From November to March, tours are conducted Friday through Sunday. Reservations are recommended, but not required, for groups of fewer than 15 people.

References

Olana mansion inner courtyard
  1. ^ a b "Frederic E. Church House (Olana)". National Historic Landmark summary listing. National Park Service. 2007-09-11.
  2. ^ a b Richard Greenwood (December 12, 1975), Template:PDFlink, National Park Service and Template:PDFlink
  3. ^ New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation. Olana State Historic Site
  4. ^ Bob Vila (1996). ""Guide to Historic Homes of America."" (html). A&E Network.
  5. ^ Lyrics of the song "Olana" by Marc Cohn, about Church and the property.
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