Mulgi mansions, also known as wealthy family farmhouses, are among the most significant cultural phenomenae in Mulgimaa, Central Estonia. The Estonian peasantry had lived in traditional dwelling called’rehetare’, characterised by simplicity and basic functionality, for centuries. In the mid-19th century the construction of new and modern houses started after the peasants had acquired ownership of their farms. Becoming the true landowners, they eagerly embarked on renovating their households, with the family house construction being one of the most important undertakings. The wealthy Mulgi farmstead owners were the first to construct these new houses. They were not just new houses but certainly big and “fitting their social status.” Taking inspiration from manor houses, the new and nice residences were called mansions or “häärberid” in Estonian. A simple word like “house” was no longer suitable for such a splendid and modern dwelling. Alongside house construction, the style of the German landowners was also imitated in interior decoration and other aspects of private life.

In 1911, August Maramaa, a schoolteacher and later mayor of Viljandi, described Mulgimaa as follows: “Many farmsteads remind passersby of small manors: the main house separate from the barn, with windows and chimneys; a stone stable; a garden and an orchard next to the main house; flower beds at the house; ornamental trees surrounding the courtyard; the main house is well-lit and spacious; there is also a „clean“ room or salon with soft furniture or at least a sofa with a table, where guests are received; the walls are painted or covered with wallpaper, with mirrors and pictures, flowers on the windowsills, and rugs on the floor; white, clean curtains invite visitors to step inside.”

Mulgi mansions can be divided into three types: the first, known as traditional mansions; the second, built in a historicist style or resembling villas; and the third, more modern mansions based on specific designs.