Villa Vizcaya
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| Villa Vizcaya | |
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| (U.S. National Historic Landmark) | |
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| Location: | 3251 South Miami Avenue Coconut Grove, Florida |
| Nearest city: | Miami, Florida |
| Coordinates: | Coordinates: |
| Built/Founded: | 1914-16[1] |
| Architect: | F. Burrall Hoffman and Paul Chalfin[1] |
| Architectural style(s): | Baroque, Renaissance[1] |
| Designated as NHL: | April 19, 1994[2] |
| Added to NRHP: | 1970 1978 (increase) |
| NRHP Reference#: | 70000181 78003193[3] (increase) |
| Governing body: | Miami-Dade County, Florida |
Villa Vizcaya is a villa in a North Italian sixteenth-century style— the Villa Rezzonico at Bassano del Grappa was the basic inspiration— on the remains of an estate in Miami, Florida, that was designed for James Deering as a winter residence. Deering's advisor in assembling the architectural elements to be incorporated in the villa was the decorative painter Paul Chalfin; the architect Chalfin recommended, who drew together the disparate collection into a harmonious whole, was F. Burrall Hoffman. Villa Vizcaya is open as the Vizcaya Museum and Gardens, which consist of the Villa and its grounds, and the museum's collections. The gardens now cover 10 acres (40,000 m²) of land on Biscayne Bay. It contains over 70 rooms decorated with 16th through early 19th century furnishings and European decorative art. Thirty-five rooms are currently open to the public.
By virtue of the construction of Villa Vizcaya, the socially retiring James Deering was a major figure in Miami's early history. He inherited a position as a Vice President of the International Harvester Company, the trust that combined the former rival McCormick and Deering harvester manufacturing corporations. Deering used Villa Vizcaya as a winter home from 1916 to the time of his death in 1925.
In 1952, Miami-Dade County purchased the estate's buildings, then in decline, for $1 million in revenue bonds and Deering's heirs donated the estate's furnishings and art to the County. The villa and botanical garden are currently owned by Miami-Dade County and are located at 3251 South Miami Avenue in Coconut Grove. It is currently a National Historic Landmark and is open to the public daily except for Christmas Day.
In May, 2008 The National Trust for Historic Preservation listed the Vizcaya on their list of America's Most Endangered Places. [4]
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[edit] Vizcaya's Gardens
The palatial villa is surrounded by outstanding formal gardens, statuaries, fountains, and hidden grottoes. Sadly, major damage from hurricanes has left in ruins such monuments as the sculptural breakwater barge in the bay that was designed to be an allegorical representation of Cleopatra's Barge, and the Peacock Bridge, which spanned a small canal that divides the estate with land now occupied by Mercy Hospital.
The gardens were designed by the landscape architect Diego Suarez, a Colombian native whose taste had been formed in working with Arthur Acton in restoring the gardens of Villa La Pietra, Florence. The plan is of patterned parterres of scrolllwork set in oystershell paths radiating from the center of the villa, influenced by Renaissance Italian and French design. The statues which line the gardens and may be found all over the premise, are upon closer inspection pagan gods of the Greco-Roman era. The French Fleur De Lis, originally a symbol of France's original Merovingian bloodline of royalty can also be noticed outside the walls of the garden. Perhaps most fascinating among all the statues and architecture, is a white marble alter in one of the garden areas nearest the bay. Inspection of this alter reveals identical sculptures on the front and back of a large centered cow skull, between two roaring lion heads, and with goat heads on all four upper corners. Two pillars made of coral stand beside this apparent alter, and have engraved geometrical symbols (possibly sacred geometry) which at first glance appear to be celtic, but more probably represent the Oak Tree of Gernika; a symbol of freedom to the Basque region of Spain, (Basque is the namesake for the Biscay Bay area which the estate lies on)and the original Vizcaya province which was part of the Basque region. Notable botanical sights include a hedge maze, and a good collection of orchids in the David A. Klein Orchidarium. Collections include much of the villa's original furniture and works of art. It is sometimes called the "Hearst Castle of the East", and has been accredited by the American Association of Museums.
[edit] In politics and religion
Viscaya was selected as the setting where President Ronald Reagan formally welcomed Pope John Paul II on the pontiff's first visit to Miami.
[edit] In pop culture
Some external shots of Villa Vizcaya were shown during the cocktail party scene in Ace Ventura: Pet Detective. Most recently, Villa Vizcaya was the outdoor location for Bad Boys II, as the façade and gardens of Johnny Tapia's house.
[edit] See also
[edit] Notes
- ^ a b c Dade County listings. Florida's History Through Its Places. Florida's Office of Cultural and Historical Programs (2007-02-20).
- ^ Vizcaya at National Historic Landmarks Program
- ^ National Register of Historical Places - Florida (FL), Dade County. National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service (2007-09-22).
- ^ http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap_travel/20080521/ap_tr_ge/travel_yesterday_s_places_endangered_places
[edit] Sources
- Maher, James T. Twilight of Splendor: Chronicles of the Age of American Palaces (Boston: Little, Brown) 1975. The comprehensive account.
- Witold Rybczynski & Laurie Olin. Vizcaya: An American Villa and Its Makers (Philadelphia: U. of Penn. Press) 2007.
[edit] External links
- Villa Vizcaya is at coordinates Coordinates:
