Hearst Castle: Hilltop Opulence and Art

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Hearst Castle: Hilltop Opulence and Art

A tour of William Randolph Hearst’s estate, now a state historical monument, in San Simeon, California

Updated May 2022: After a two-year closure due to the pandemic and rainstorms that severely damaged the access road in early 2021, Hearst Castle re-opened to the public on May 11, 2022.

(Disclosure: My visit was hosted by San Luis Obispo County as part of a post-trip after the North American Travel Journalists Association (NATJA) 2016 conference in Oxnard, California. Observations and opinions are my own.)

Hearst Castle on the hill: opulence and art

Looking up the hill from the observation deck of the Hearst Castle Visitor’s Center, the former estate of William Randolph Hearst looked like a fairy tale castle. I had the sense of being about to see something magnificent but it was difficult to fully imagine what splendor awaited in that speck in the distance.

Road up the hill to Hearst Castle

It was a fifteen minute bus ride on a winding road up the hill from the Visitor’s Center to the entrance of Hearst Castle. The recorded voice of Alex Trebek provided background and pointed out highlights along the way, such as the mile-long pergola built to ride horses through or simply stroll through. The view was incredible as we climbed the hill. During the time Hearst lived at the home he called La Cuesta Encantada (Spanish for “Enchanted Hill”), he entertained many famous guests. What a great entrance for their “enchanted” visits!

Hearst Castle

The history of the Castle began when William Randolph Hearst’s father, George Hearst, purchased 40,000 acres of ranch land in 1865. By the time William inherited the land in 1919, the estate was 250,000 acres. The wilderness on the hill had been used as a campsite for family and friends. Hearst approached San Francisco architect Julia Morgan.

“Miss Morgan, we are tired of camping out in the open at the ranch in San Simeon and I would like to build a little something.”

William Randolph Hearst was a media tycoon who owned several newspapers (more than two dozen at his peak) and magazines. He branched into radio broadcasting and produced movie newsreels. His media career began as a young man when he convinced his father to turn the San Francisco Examiner over to him. His father had acquired the newspaper as payment for a gambling debt. In 1902 and 1904 William Randolph Hearst was elected to the House of Representatives.

Julia Morgan, a San Francisco native, was the first woman to receive a certificate in architecture from Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Paris and the first woman architect licensed in California. She built over 700 buildings in California.

La Cuesta Encantada at San Simeon became Hearst’s primary residence. Construction continued during the 28 years he lived and entertained there. By 1947, this “little something” had 165 rooms and 127 acres of gardens, terraces and pools.

Heart Castle: Hilltop Opulence and Art

Hearst made a trip to Europe with his mother when he was ten. The castles and art he saw there became the inspiration forĀ La Cuesta Encantada. The hilltop estate was designed to resemble a Mediterranean village with the towered main house as its cathedral and guest cottages as other village buildings.

Hearst Castle guest cottage
One of three guest cottages at Hearst Castle

I was on the Grand Rooms Tour. We were encouraged to imagine ourselves as guests at the estate.

Hearst Castle: Hilltop Opulence and Art
The front entrance to Casa Grande, the largest house at Hearst Castle

In the evening, guests gathered in the Assembly Room in Casa Grande for cocktails and conversation. Attendance was mandatory. The room is massive, with dark walnut paneling, Renaissance and Baroque tapestries, a third century Roman mosaic tile floor in the entryway, antique furniture, and numerous art pieces throughout the room.

Hearst Castle Assembly Room
Portions of the Assembly Room

Hearst Castle’s collection of art and antiquities rivals many museums. When I visited, there was a blank spot on the wall in the Assembly Rooms because one of the tapestries was on loan to a museum.Ā William Randolph Hearst’s art collection included Old Master paintings, tapestries, Oriental rugs, furniture, and Greek, Roman and Egyptian antiquities. Art and antiquities were incorporated into the design of the estate as well as being on display.

Hearst Castle fireplace

After his guests had gathered, William Randolph Hearst joined them, most likely accompanied by Marion Davies. In 1903, at the age of twenty-one, Hearst married Millicent Wilson. They had five sons. In 1917 Hearst fell in love with twenty-year-old Marion Davies of the Ziegfeld Follies. They maintained a relationship until Hearst’s death. William and Millicent never divorced, but they lived separate lives after Hearst’s relationship with Marion Davies became public in 1926. Millicent lived in New York.

Hearst Castle dining room
Dining Room, called the Refectory

After cocktails in the Assembly Room, guests entered the dining room. Hearst sat in the middle of the table. As your stay wore on, you might find your place at the table moved farther and farther away from Hearst, a hint you’d overstayed your welcome. After dinner, guests joined Hearst and Davies in the Theatre to watch a movie and a newsreel.

Hearst Castle garden terrace

There was plenty to keep guests occupied during the day – tennis, swimming at one of two pools, horseback riding, billiards, walks through the grounds or simply enjoying the gardens and the views.

Hearts Castle Neptune Pool
Neptune Pool, empty due to renovations
Hearst Castle Roman pool
Roman Pool, a tiled indoor pool styled after a Roman bath. It is decorated floor to ceiling with one inch square glass tiles, either coloured or clear with fused gold inside.
The tennis courts above the pool have glass bricks built into the floor at the centre to allow light to shine through to the pool.
Hearst Castle Billiards Room
The Billiards Room has a fifteenth century Spanish ceiling and a Flemish tapestry from 1500.
Sekhmet Fountain at Hearst Castle
Sekhmet Fountain, designed by Julia Morgan to incorporate four ancient Egyptian sculptures.
(Due to California’s ongoing drought, all fountains on the estate were empty and off.)
View from Hearst Castle
The view

Hearst leftĀ La Cuesta Encantada in 1947 to seek medical care. He died in Beverly Hilsl in 1951 at the age of 88. The hilltop was donated to California in December 1957 by Hearst Corporation. Hearst San Simeon State Historical Monument was dedicated June 2, 1958.

Today, nearly a million visitors tour Hearst Castle each year. California State Parks strives to keep the estate and its artifacts in good shape while preserving the look of a private residence.

Hearst Castle Morning Room ceiling restoration
The ceiling in the Morning Room was in the midst of restoration when I visited

Hearst Castle is located off the Pacific Coast Highway above the village of San Simeon, California, half way between Los Angeles and San Francisco. It is open daily. A variety of tours are available, including a couple which are wheelchair accessible. Tickets can be reserved in advance. The Grand Rooms Tour is the one recommended for first-time visitors.

Hearst Castle
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Hearst Castle in San Simeon, California: a world-renowned house museum with amazing hilltop views, opulent decor, and a collection of art

(Note:Ā Photos are published with the permission of Hearst Castle.)


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26 Comments

  1. Hi Donna,
    I had the pleasure of visiting Hearst Castle 10 years ago while RVing up the west coast on the Pacific Coast Highway. I was awed by the opulence of the entire complex and the magnificent views, and entertained by the stories we were told about his guests and the lavish parties. After looking at your pictures I revisited my own pictures with fond memories. Well worth the visit!

    1. Eva, definitely worth a visit. It’s always nice to go through the memories in old travel photos, isn’t it? Hope to get together soon.

  2. So over-the-top opulent – love these kind of tours, Donna! It’s difficult to believe (now) how many priceless antiquities were carted off from Europe at the whim of the very wealthy to furnish their homes. I just crack up when I imaging saying, “Oh, this old thing … We picked it up in a little village in Greece…” Anita

    1. Anita, it would not be possible to import all these antiquities today. It is hard to believe one was once allowed to.

  3. I toured the Hearst Castle years ago. It’s good to see how well they are maintaining the property. I do think this historic and very entertaining. I very much enjoyed my time there. Wonderful pictures!

  4. Hi Donna, so glad you enjoyed your visit to Hearst castle. What an incredible place. Commuting between northern and southern California for so many years, I’ve had the opportunity to visit it more than once. It is quite spectacular. They have done a really good job keeping it up.

    1. Susan, it really is an incredible place. I’d like to visit again and take one of the other tours.

  5. I really liked this tour, Donna. I always wished to go there when I lived in CA, but never made it. This made me feel like I had a bit of a trip onsite. So much like a European castle!

    1. Thanks Rose Mary. I’m glad you enjoyed the little tour I gave. Hopefully you get to see it in person some day.

  6. Thx for this, Donna. In all the times I’ve visited California, I still haven’t made it to Hearts Castle! Your photos are great and have given me a really good idea of what’s in store.

    1. Doreen, you should try and put Hearst Castle on your list of things to see next time you get to central California. It is quite something!

  7. Wow, Donna, the opulence is almost obscene. When you think of one man owning this it boggles the mind but it is beautiful, especially the gardens and the Roman pool. I loved the first and third photos and the one of the guest cottage the best. I can certainly see where the place would cost a fortune to maintain.

  8. Good luck trying to build a mansion based on earnings from newspapers and broadcast radio today. The Hearst Castle looks magnificent. I thought the indoor pool looks particularly stunning.

    1. Ken, Hearst certainly got into the business at the right time. It would be quite different now.

  9. I haven’t been to Hearst Castle since I was a kid, but it’s just as over-the-top lavish as I remember. I can’t even begin to imagine living in a place like this, but it is fun to see and explore. Thanks Donna!

    1. Marquita, it was fun to see and explore. Like you, I found it hard to imagine living in a place like this, although it would be fun to try that for a while.

    1. William, I don’t think I’ve ever seen the full movie Citizen Kane. I’ll have to watch it and see if Xanadu reminds me of Hearst Castle.

  10. What a striking castle. The grounds are simply stunning. The Roman bath looks so tranquil – perfect for relaxing.

    There is so much land in the USA as oppose to the UK. I cannot get my head around it.

    1. Phoenicia, there certainly is a large expanse of land around the castle that adds to the grandeur of it all. California State Parks owns only the land at the top of the hill with the buildings on it. The rest belongs to the Hearst family corporation. An agreement was reached where they will not develop that land. They can use it for cattle grazing.

  11. I’ve always seen brochures for Hearst Castle since it isn’t that far away from me but I’ve never been. It is interesting to learn the story around Hearst and his passion for building a castle. It really is amazing. Makes me wish I could live in a castle!