Vizcaya Museum and Gardens is a National Historic Landmark located in the heart of Miami on the shores of Biscayne Bay. Once the winter home of James Deering, a wealthy industrialist, Vizcaya is now a museum open to the public and available for private parties and weddings.
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Vizcaya is a gorgeous Italian Renaissance country villa built on the shores of Biscayne Bay by James Deering, International Harvester vice president. Completed in 1916, the main house was designed to look like an Italian estate that had been around for a few hundred years. Its 34 rooms embrace Renaissance, Baroque, Rococo and Neoclassic styles.
The main designers of Vizcaya were Paul Chalfin, who was the general artistic supervisor, F. Burrall Hoffman, who designed the buildings and Diego Suarez, who designed the gardens. John Singer Sargent visited James Deering at Vizcaya in 1917 and produced several paintings from his stay at Vizcaya.
The entire compound was spread out over 180 acres and included many gardens and lagoons, cow pastures, citrus groves, nature trails, tennis courts, a yacht harbor and village. The extensive gardens were completed in 1921 and featured Renaissance Italian and French designs and included several themed garden areas, statuary, fountains, lagoons, the “Casino” house and an island.
The main house at Vizcaya in Miami
Miami-Dade County purchased the property in 1952 and opened it as a museum while undertaking ongoing extensive restoration to bring the property back to its original appearance. Today, the museum is open to the public, is used by Miami-Dade County for diplomatic events and is available for rent for private events.
It is fabulous waterfront Miami location for a wedding at the mansion or in the gardens. For orchid lovers, the David A. Klein Orchidarium on the grounds features an extensive collection of orchids.
Viscaya also has an amazing pool that is half in doors and half outside.
The Gazebo in the Gardens at Vizcaya, Miami
Vizcaya Hours:
Open daily 9:30 am – 4:30 pm, closed Christmas. Admission rates for 2009: Adult 13 + $15, children 6 – 12 $6, and children 5 and under free, Seniors 62 and older $10.
Vizcaya is located right off of I-95 and is about one mile from downtown Miami and 10 miles from south Miami Beach. Vizcaya is north of Coconut Grove area of Miami at 3251 South Miami Avenue, Miami, FL 33129, Phone: 305-250-9133., Vizcaya’s Website.
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