KARL JUNKER HOUSE

An intricate and amazing house built by schizophenic architect Karl Junker

Image of Karl Junker House located in Europe

Karl Junker had both an advantage and disadvantage when it came to building his great vision. While he was a trained architect, by his thirties, he was also deeply schizophrenic. Never hospitalized, he created his life's work--the architecture, furniture, design and murals for his house--from a palette of the world inside his head.
Living on the large sum of money left to him by his grandfather, Junker spent his life elaborating again and again on his singular masterpiece. Human faces peer out from the intricate ceiling murals and the curved staircase is encased in a wood structure like a cage. The house, which had no visitors or occupants except for Junker, was clearly designed by Junker for a family and entertaining guests. There is a nursery, a guest room, a salon and dining room all formally decorated with hand-carved and gilded furniture. It all points to a life that Junker yearned for, but knew he would never have.
Near the end of his life, visitors began to arrive at the strange house, asking for tours. Junker obliged, and while showing them around would explain that he expected his architecture would one day prove to be revolutionary, like Wagner's music. "Perhaps only after a hundred years, I will be valued correctly."