KRM
Exhibition

About Ledaal

Manor house from 1803

Ledaal is a beautiful manor house set in a large park along Eiganesveien. It was built as a summer residence for the wealthy Stavanger family Kielland between 1799 and 1803. The builder was Gabriel Schanche Kielland, owner of one of the country’s largest trading houses. The house was originally used as a summer home and country retreat, but eventually became the family’s year-round residence. The house is designed in neoclassical architecture with Danish influences. The interior largely reflects the neoclassical ideals of the time inspired by the forms of antiquity.

After Gabriel S. Kielland’s time, the property was passed down through the family. The renowned writer and politician Alexander L. Kielland was the great-grandson of the builder of Ledaal. The author never lived in the house but was a regular guest at the social gatherings held there. In Kielland’s novels one can recognize elements from both the manor lifestyle, the building itself, and characters connected to Ledaal.

The building has been owned by the museum since 1936. Since 1949 Ledaal has held the status of royal residence in Stavanger. The manor underwent an extensive restoration around the turn of the millennium and now functions as a museum, royal residence, and representative venue for the City of Stavanger