Hellekis manor is known since the 14th century. The present manor-house in late Gustavian style was designed by the architect Olof Tempelman. The main building, as well as the stables, has kept their original character from the 1790's. The manor is owned and lived in by the Klingspor family since 1915. The park of the manor is famous for its many beautiful trees, e g walnut tree and chestnut. These trees are very rare at our degree of Iatitude. Also, the magnificient perennial flower beds are a source of inspiration and knowledge for visiting garden enthusiasts. In the park there is also a rosarium with old garden roses. The main building is private, however, a part of the beautiful park is open to the public during the summer season.
The Restaurant
In the renovated and extended orangery you find the restaurant "Hellekis Trädgårdscafé och Kök". Enter the garden pavilion and experience the feeling of welcome and comfort. Sit down in the orangery or the tea garden and enjoy freshly baked buns and cakes, tasty sandwiches or perhaps a delicious soup. Visitors are welcome to enjoy a pleasant meal under the grape vines originating from the beginning of the 20th century.
Art is an important part of the manor. Objects of art can be found throughout the park, in the green houses and in the restaurant.
History
According to legends, a long time ago, there used to be a pirates' den by the habour, where Tulle lived with his six sons. They all ravaged badly the area around Kinnekulle.
Even Strindberg mentions in his "Swedish Destinies and Adventures" a castle at Kinnekulle where amazons lived, and which was stormed by a lone viking who had landed his ship at the nearby harbour.
These mentions of ancient settlements might very well be at the same place as the present Hellekis manor. It is known for sure that Hellekis was owned by the councillor Mats Gustavsson Sparre in the 14th century. The manor was then taken over by the Wintorp family and later by the Posse family who owned the manor for more than 300 years, up until 1818, by the exception of some minor pauses when the manor was withdrawn by the monarchy.
In the beginning of the 16th century, the councillor Axel Nilsson Posse had a stone house built, the "quadrangle", which is pictured in the Svicia antiqua. On the ground floor there were storehouses, the middle floor were the gentlefolk's apartment and the top floor was used as assembly rooms. The quadrangle was seen as out-of-date already by the end of the 16th century, and the councillor Göran Posse had a tall narrow stone house with a steep roof built, but it was destroyed by fire in 1689.
A memory of this building is built into the wall above the present door to the stable. It is a coat of arms with the initials of Göran Posse and Elisabeth Oxenstierna. In the basement of the present building, there are also cross-vaulting and tiles of limestone originating from this late mediaeval building.
This is quite unique, since this is one of the few manors in Västergötland which still today have parts of a mediaeval building. While the "quadrangle" was a simple building, the one built 1597 was much more complicated, nspired by the new ideas of the renaissance. In 1708 the brown building was replaced by a corps-de-logie in the Caroline style, with an extended hall towards the park.
In 1790 the architect Olof Tempelman built the house you see today with the style of the neo-classicism. The old "quadrangle" was taken down in 1880 since it did not go together with the newly built manor house.
In 1932 the Klingspor family became the owners of Hellekis and they initiated a thorough renovation. The manor now has all the latest conveniences, although they have taken care to maintain the old exquisite style of the 18th century.
Throughout the building there are severeal valuable objects of art and antiques, for exemple a 17th century tapestry from Läckö, a big, beautiful tapestry from Brussels and a gigantic two-handed sword and a iron suit of armour, that was found under a fir tree on Kinnekulle some time during the 17th century. Perhaps a knight some time hid his suit of armour and sword to make it easier to escape from any pursuers, because one thing is certain, in the Middle Ages many dramas took place around Kinnekulle.
Hellekis was originally named Helghakys ie. the holy valley, holy kjusa.
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