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Built between 1914 and 1922, Vizcaya Museum and Gardens was originally the winter home of American industrialist and conservationist James Deering, its owner. The estate lies in the Coconut Grove area of southern Miami, surrounded by a slightly dense subtropical forest. Its Main House and formal gardens emerge as an illusory sight amidst a jungle from the shores of Biscayne Bay.
Conceived as a modern and subtropical interpretation of an 18th-century Italian villa, the palatial estate is an exquisite blend of creative landscaping and brilliant architecture. Today it's a National Historic Landmark attracting tourists who mosey around the paradise, marveling and learning more about it.
What Is Vizcaya Known For?
Located on the western shores of Biscayne Bay, the famous landmark hosts several unique facilities dating back to the early 1900s. Presently, it's a decorative arts museum operated by Dale County Park and Recreation Department. Notable for its remarkably decorated rooms dotted with antiques and its ornamental ironwork, Vizcaya also serves as a perfect place for wedding photography.
The formal gardens reminiscent of the Italian Renaissance Palaces manifest a striking landscape stretching out to the bay's shores. The famous Fountain Garden and the walled Secret Garden are among the area's many garden plots. The gardened site also features several notable structures, such as the Garden Mound, an artificial hill with shell-lined grottoes.
The architectural brilliance and landscaping ingenuity give props to Diego Suarez and Paul Chalfin. Suarez, a landscape architect, and Chalfin, an interior designer interested in architecture, were tasked with perfectly detailing the villa. The duo did a splendid job as the landmark is now synonymous with luxury and aesthetics, making it an attraction and an excellent place for special events.
What To See At Vizcaya Museum?
A perpetual Mediterranean-style architecture and collections from as early as the Pompeii era welcome travelers at the Main House. The 52 decorated rooms, with 34 open to the public; design center around the pieces of furniture, architectural, and paneling components such as fireplaces. As such, every object artistically adds to the decorative aspect of the room in which it resides, playing a significant role in determining the house's architecture. All these features show why this is one of the top-rated museums in Florida.
Uninterested in historical consistency, Chalfin was adept at integrating his new design components into old artifacts, generating a unique, eclectic style. The designer was a guru in Italian furniture and interiors, reflected in the rooms' décor. Additionally, the artistic brilliance saturating the house highlights Chalfin's interest in different historical periods.
The 18th century was the primary inspiration for Vizcaya, ranging from the symmetrical austere Neoclassical style to the asymmetrical, highly inventive Rococo architecture. Furthermore, the tones of various Italian cities evoke the rooms; for instance, the Reception Room attributes its style to the City of Palermo.
Deering's Personal Suite has ornate yet masculine furniture of the Napoleonic era. On the other hand, the Living Room and Dining Room pay tribute to modern Renaissance decor popular among art collectors in Europe and the United States. These diverse collections tout the landmark as one of the US's most significant repositories of Italian furniture.
What To See At Vizcaya Gardens?
The gardens are among the most elaborate in the US. Inspired by the 17th and 18th centuries Italian and French gardens, the landscape appears as a series of rooms. The central space has parterres set out in a geometric pattern.
Beyond the central zone are the evocative Secret Garden, Maze Garden, Theater Garden, and the Fountain Garden. Further on the other side lies a relatively well-preserved native subtropical forest that compliments the lush gardens.
The detailed gardens boast striking architectural structures, elaborate fountains, and antique commissioned sculptures. To further convey antiquity, Deering planted multiple mature trees along with plants and vines that drape themselves over the garden structures.
Suarez, the landscape architect responsible for designing the gardens, referenced many places in his design, mostly around Florence and Rome. To further enhance the vistas, he cleverly added the Garden Mound, an artificial hill blocking the view from the house, creating long perspectives on its sides.
Deering also adored orchids and had large greenhouses to inspire their bloom for cut flower arrangements. The plants are still prominent at the Vizcaya, with greenhouses housing over 2000, primarily used for floral exhibits in the David. A. Klein Orchidarium and the Main House's courtyard.
The gardens feature a wide range of flora, ranging from endangered orchids and water lilies to native shrubs and historic oak trees. On the other hand, the forest houses multiple endangered plants like Bitterbush, the Redberry Stopper, the Brittle Maidenhair Fern, and eight known national champion trees. Additionally, the preserved mangrove forest lining the shoreline protects the garden from salt, air, and wind.
Vizcaya Museum and Gardens is open on selected days. However, there are operational hours and varying visitor costs, such as the following.
- Cost: Adults (13 & over) - $25, Children (six to 12 years) - $10, Children (five and under) - free
- Operating Hours: Wednesday through Monday, 9:30 AM to 4:30 PM last admission (Main House opens until 5:00 PM and the gardens until 5:30 PM)
One of the top tourist destinations in Miami, the Vizcaya promises an educative aesthetic luxury tour. The quaint architectural brilliance surrounded by lush landscape with the modern cityscape backdrop makes the place a marvel to travelers making it worth a visit. Therefore, tourists should add this historical landmark to their travel list.