Editor's Pick ★★★★★
Historic Home • Park
Olana
What They Are about
Built on a hilltop with stunning views of the Hudson Rover, Olana is the estate of the famed American landscape painter, Frederick Church, who was a leading painter of the Hudson River School. The house is one of the few intact artists' homes, studio and estate complexes in the country and combines elements of Victorian, Persian, and Moorish architecture. It has been left much the way it was at the time of Church’s death in 1900, furnished with items he picked up on his world travels, along with his incredible artwork. You can tour the house with knowledgeable guides to understand the history of the period and enjoy sweeping views of the Hudson from every window – surely an inspiration for his artwork.
The grounds are breathtakingly beautiful, and you can tour the landscaped park that Church designed explicitly for his art. From various points around the property, you can view the Hudson River, the Catskill, Taconic and Berkshire Mountain ranges, as well as New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Vermont. Take a guided 1.5-hour electric cart tour to fully experience the property or relax and walk the grounds to take in vistas unlike anywhere else in the valley.
Olana is located at 5720 State Route 9G, Hudson, NY.
Our Notes
Thomas Cole (his house is in Catskill and can be accessed by foot) was the founder of the Hudson River School and taught Church so when you go from one house (Cedar Grove) to another (Olana), you can see the influence of one over the other.
It is worth the effort to reserve house tour tickets ahead of time
Great background for any special event... Wedding, etc
Olana has pet-friendly grounds.
Bring a picnic, hike the trails, enjoy the views. You can have a mini vacation by just hanging there all day.
You might want to be there around sunset, you will see how the Church became so inspired to buy the property
