Ostentatious Facts About Hearst Castle, The Apex Of Excess
Newspaper mogul William Randolph Hearst and his architect Julia Morgan conceived of Hearst Castle, located in San Simeon, California, in the early 20th century. Officially named The Enchanted Hill, it is also referred to as San Simeon.
Today, the castle is a popular tourist attraction as a remarkable example of early 20th-century wealth and decadence.
Just like the man it was named after, Hearst Castle has enough drama and intrigue to fill a library, so read on to discover the secrets that hide behind its extravagant walls.
1. Thanks Daddy
The history of Hearst Castle dates back to 1865 when George Hearst (William's father) purchased 40,000 acres of ranch land. By the time William inherited the land in 1919, it had grown to a whopping 250,000 acres.
2. European Influence
When he was just a boy, Hearst’s mother took him on an 18-month tour of Europe, and the trip made a lasting impression on him. Decades later, multiple European styles of architecture and art found their way into the design of the castle.
3. Larger Than the Average Home
The three guesthouses that are part of Hearst Castle are larger than the average mansion. The largest of the buildings (outside of the main mansion) is Casa del Mar (House of the Sea), which measures 5,350 square feet and has eight bedrooms.
The house is where Hearst and his family stayed while the main building was being built and was where Hearst spent the last two years of his residence at the estate.
4. For the Kids
The original plan for the Hearst Castle site was to have a “temple garden”
with an ornamental pool and temple, but in 1924, Hearst wrote back to architect Julia Morgan that he wanted the pool to be larger because his wife and children wanted a proper swimming pool.
Thus, the castle's absolutely enormous, Roman-style pool was born.
.jpg){kind=link}