The Hermitage Mansion is located in the Wissahickon area of Fairmount Park, off Hermit Lane. Its history can be traced 300 years to a small group of Rosicrucians-- a religious sect made up of "hermits" or Pietists, who emigrated from Germany in 1694 seeking freedom and privacy. The Rosicrucians were given a 175-acre tract of land in the Wissahickon Valley, encompassing the site of the present Hermitage Mansion. The Mansion is home to the Delaware Valley Opera Company.