Mormon Castle - An Eclectic Villa with a Mysterious History

The eclectic villa with elements of English Neo-Gothic architecture was built in 1874 on the site of the former Mill XI. Its construction was commissioned by Józef Napromski, the last owner of the mill, who created the first real boarding house in Oliwa here. The building, with its characteristic three-story tower topped with a broken, multi-pitched roof, resembled a small castle against the backdrop of the forested hills of the Oliwa Valley. It was thanks to this picturesque location that it gained the name "Mormon Castle" (Mormonenschlösschen). Although the name had nothing to do with Mormons, it encouraged jokes and gossip. The boarding house for girls from good families, located in the villa, became a source of speculation about alleged polygamy and mysterious meetings, which further built up the aura of legend.