Rathgael: 462 St Kilda Road, MELBOURNE

Building Profile

Location

Construction Details

Built in the Victorian period in the Academic Classical style

Notable features

Rathgael is primarily of architectural importance as an exotic example of late Boom style Classicism in Melbourne. Development in two stages and clearly enhanced by urns, sculptural relief panels and statuary copied from Roman antiquity. The substantial villa, once part of a remarkable mansion house group in the St Kilda Road district, has been radically truncated by demolition of all rooms except the four ornately detailed front rooms, facade and dual porticoes. Rathgael at 462 St Kilda Road, South Melbourne, was originally known as Estella and erected in 1890 as a sixteen room single storey brick and stucco villa for Melbourne bookmaker Leon Cohen. The double bay fronted villa was later enhanced by construction of two elaborate porches heavily embellished with ornament and statuary derived from Roman classicism.

History

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