William Randolph Hearst's Castle

The Hearst Castle lies just several miles north of where we stayed in San Simeon.  He didn't start building it until his early 50's, after his mother died, which gave him complete access to the family fortune, he was an only child.  His father, who made his fortune in mining, was one of the richest men in the world.  Began in 1920, it was worked on the rest of Hearst's life, another 30 years, but never finished.  He spent with no restraint and in the 1940's the Hearst Corporation was near bankruptcy because of his free spending.  The total property covered several hundred thousand acres.

It is over the top in every way and an invitation there was coveted by Hollywood stars, politicians, and the rich and famous.  It was given to the State of California after Hearst's death.

P.S. Citizen Kane was not filmed here.  Some place on the East Coast I think.  Hearst did everything he could to disrupt the release of the movie.  He was powerful and succeeded.  Citizen Kane had a limited release and was trashed by critics; it's now considered one of the 5 best films ever made.  He destroyed Orson Welles career.

The castle was built on the top of a mountain over a thousand feet above the coastline.

The view from the castle back down to the coast.  The driveway is spectacular!

The dining room.  Hearst always sat in the center of the table.  He never told any guest they had to leave, but as your seat each night moved farther out to the ends you got the message, especially if you were given the end chair by the fireplace.

Supposedly Carol Lombard, an actress and Clark Gabel's wife, was a pool hustler and won lots of bets at these tables.

Hearst was not a religious man but modeled the main building after a Spanish church.

The outdoor pool

The indoor pool, with a second floor diving platform.  This building was to be a complete gymnasium, but the pool was the only thing completed in the building.  It sits under the tennis courts.

Life imitates art.  Would have been better with no clothes but I couldn't get a buy in from Doug.