Elfenau

The Elfenau is a campaign on the banks of the Aare (Elfenauweg 91) in Bern.
Since 1285 was on the territory of today's Elfenau the nunnery to Brunnadern. Around 1780, the old Riegelhaus was demolished and replaced by the new building of the present manorial buildings. In 1816, the name of the fairy creature of the elves was given to it by the emigrated Russian princess Anna Feodorovna (1781-1860), who had purchased the property previously named Brunnaderngut together with the country house built in 1735 in 1814. She had the estate rebuilt with the help of Rudolf Abraham von Schiferli in the Empire style and create an English park, where she received her relatives, the better Berne society, the Russian colony and numerous foreign diplomats.
For this purpose, the famous orangery was built, which today serves as an exhibition and concert venue.
In 1918, the Elfenau passed to the city of Bern, and in 1928/29 the city nursery was established there.
Source: Wikipedia