Tovrea Castle facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Tovrea Castle
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(2022)
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 Location in Arizona
Location in the United States
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| Location | 5041 E. Van Buren Street,, Phoenix, Arizona |
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| Area | 44 acres (18 ha) |
| Built | December 1929 to January 1931 |
| Architect | Alessio Carraro |
| Architectural style | Italianate Architecture |
| NRHP reference No. | 96000309 |
| Added to NRHP | March 28, 1996 |
Tovrea Castle is a famous old building and landmark in Phoenix, Arizona. It is located at 5041 East Van Buren Street. The castle sits on about 44 acres of land. This land is bordered by the Red Mountain Freeway (also known as State Route 202) to the east, Washington Street to the south, Van Buren Street to the north, and the Main Post Office to the west.
People in the area often call it the "Wedding Cake Castle." It was built between 1929 and 1931. The architect, Alessio Carraro, designed it in a unique Italianate Architectural Style. He first planned for it to be a hotel, the main part of a big vacation resort.
However, in 1931, E.A. and Della Tovrea bought the castle. They made it their private home instead of a hotel. Today, Tovrea Castle is part of the Phoenix Parks System. It is also one of the special places known as Phoenix Points of Pride.
There were plans to open the castle fully to the public in 2009. But it cost more than expected, so the opening was delayed. Now, the castle and its grounds have over 5,000 cactus plants. These plants belong to more than 100 different types. The Tovrea Carraro Society takes care of all these plants. This group also offers guided tours of the grounds, the first floor, and the basement. They also host special events at the site.
The castle was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1996. Before it was called Tovrea Castle, it had other names like "Carraro Heights" and "El Castillo." Current signs at the site call it "Tovrea Castle at Carraro Heights."
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Tovrea Castle's History
Tovrea Castle at Carraro Heights gets its name from two important people. Alessio Carraro was the person who originally built it. E. A. and Della Tovrea were its second owners.
There's a local story that says E. A. Tovrea built the castle for his wife. The story claims he wanted it to look just like their wedding cake. But this is not true! The Tovreas actually bought the castle from Alessio Carraro in 1931.
For a long time, the castle was known as a city landmark. However, the grounds and the building became run down. This made it unsuitable to be used as a city park. After buying the 44 acres around the castle, the city of Phoenix started to fix it up. They wanted to restore the building and make the gardens beautiful again.
Restoring the Gardens
In 2006, a lot of work began to bring the castle gardens back to their original state. Workers removed sick and dead plants from the area. They also helped the plants that were still healthy to recover.
During this restoration, 352 saguaro cacti were planted on the site. More than 2,000 other cactus plants were moved to new spots. Other plants, like desert wildflowers, were also planted in the gardens. Today, the park has over 5,000 individual cactus plants. They belong to more than 100 different types.
After many delays, the city of Phoenix finished the project by Arizona's 100th birthday. This was on February 14, 2012. The project included building a visitors center. The Tovrea Carraro Society is a local non-profit group. They work with the City of Phoenix to run and manage the site. Since March 2012, they have been giving guided tours of the grounds, the first floor, and the basement. They also hold special events there.
What Tovrea Castle Looks Like
Alessio Carraro had an early idea for his hotel design. A local architect drew a sketch for him, but Carraro did not like it. It looked very different from the castle he actually built. Carraro never planned to use that design. He wanted to build a castle that looked like the ones he had seen in his home country of Italy. He worked with the solid granite ground, and his vision for the castle became his own unique creation.
Tovrea Castle is made of granite blocks, pine wood, and stucco. It has a unique four-tier design. This design makes it look a lot like a traditional wedding cake. That's why people locally call it "The Wedding Cake Castle."
The castle has a mix of old European architectural styles. It also has romantic details. For example, there are parapets, which are low walls, around the roofline of each tier. Inside and outside, the light fixtures show Art Deco details. At night, LED lights shine on the castle from its roofs and fences. When you see the castle from far away, it looks like a romantic medieval castle. However, it doesn't actually have any medieval architectural details.
The castle is easy to see from the areas around it. Drivers on Loop 202 get a great view of the site. Because of this, the castle has become one of the most famous landmarks in Phoenix.
More to Explore
- List of historic properties in Phoenix, Arizona
- Phoenix Historic Property Register
- Mystery Castle
- El Cid Castle
