Carolina Schmidti Villa (Mere avenue 12) story
The story of Carolina Schmidt Villa came to be when in 1874 a farmer named Jaan Tennison from Jõõpre parish bought the now Mere avenue’s land. Many years after, in 1890 a new owner of the land Georg Freibergile, a trader who in addition to the existing land bought the neighboring land. In that time nobody could foresee that in 1905 a wealthy merchant named Hermann Leopold Ammende builds the now famous and the most beautiful Art Noveau style building in Pärnu – Ammende Villa.
Born in Scotland and married to Wilhelm-Aleksander Schmidt, a woman named Carolina Schmidt acquired the land now known as Mere avenue in 1912. Her husband was a vice-consul in German Empire and a co-owner to a commodity company with Hans Diedrich Schmidt. It is an important connection because H. D. Schmidt established one of the most famous dynasties of merchants in 1741 and was a founding member of a trading home in Pärnu.
By the end of 1912, a Baltic German architect Erich von Wolffeldt designed them a summer villa. The villa inspired by classicism and Art Noveau style was quickly built and next year an outbuilding was designed and built. Carolina’s family resided in the villa for many summers, enjoying the greenery and nearby seafront. Erich von Wolffeldt, the architect, was a son to a well-know architect, Hugo von Wolffeldt, who deserves a remarkable notice because, with Olev Siinmaa, they designed the Pärnu’s famous neo-classicist building of the Mud Baths. In 1938 the villa was rented out to a merchant named Leonhard Gustav von Krusenstjern with his wife from the Maydell’s family, their older daughter Anita and niece Hedda.
During the period of Soviet occupation, the villa was used by the council of ministers, and even during the newer era, being free and democratic country – Estonia, the villa was still state property.
The timeless beauty of Carolina Schmidt Villa once more entranced the real estate developer from Pärnu and in collaboration with Boa Architects, a new project was prepared for the aforementioned real estate (Mere avenue 12), what bears the beautiful name, Carolina Schmidt Villa.
Starting from the year 2021, the new owners have the chance to continue contributing to the unique legacy of Carolina Schmidt Villa’s history.
Source: Hedda Peet; Pärnu öömajad ehk perekond Padi puhkamas, 2017.
