Vizcaya Museum & Gardens |
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| 3251 S. Miami Ave. | |
| Miami, FL 33129-2831 | |
| 305-250-9133 | |
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Hours:
9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. daily, with gardens open until 5:30 p.m. Ticket booth closes at 4:30 p.m. | |
This grand Italian villa on Biscayne Bay -- which blends Southern charm with Italian flair -- includes over 10 acres of formal gardens and fountains. Vizcaya is one of only two officially designated National Historic Landmarks in Miami-Dade County. James Deering, the Chicago industrialist who made his fortune with International Harvester, built the house in 1916, wintering at the property from that year until 1925. At the time, Deering hired a third of Miami's work force to build the Italian Renaissance villa amidst a lush tropical hammock. The cost: $22 million. Art and furnishings fill the villa's 72 rooms, decorated with ancient tapestries, carpets and artworks.
(April 29, 2005)
