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Special for L2
There are so many beautiful places to explore in Rhode Island! The years that I lived In Providence, I had the opportunity to see unique and iconic places in New England. One weekend my husband and I took the road with the children to visit the impressive mansion The Breakers, located in Newport.< /p>
Upon arrival, we fell in love with the majesty of its entrance. there They provided us with headphones so that, as we toured the mansion, we would soak up the fascinating history behind its enormous and impressive walls. This belonged to to Cornelius Vanderbilt II, also known as the Commodore, president of the New York Central Railroad System in 1885. Grandson of Commodore Cornelius Vanderbilt, who established the New York Central Railroad System. An immense family fortune in steamships and later on the New York Railroad, he bought this house, which back then was made of wood. After a fierce fire in 1892, the house was destroyed. destroyed, and searched for architect Richard Morris Hunt to design a dreamy 70-bedroom villa. Vanderbilt insisted. The building was as fire resistant as possible, so the building structure used steel trusses and not wooden parts. He even required So the boiler was located away from the house in an underground space under the front lawn.
The architect directed to an international team of artisans inspired to create an Italian Renaissance-style palace, like the palaces of Genoa and Turin from the 16th century. The rooms were decorated by the architect by Boston Ogden Codman Jr., and the interior decoration by Jules Allard and Sons.
What called me the most? What stood out was the implementation of gold and marble inside, the latter was imported from Italy and Africa, in addition to rare woods and mosaics from all over the world. Architectural elements purchased from castles in France were used in the construction of this mansion, such as the library shelf. The expansion was finally finished. in 1892.
Upon reaching the huge covered terrace that overlooks the beautiful Newport sea, we took the opportunity to take several selfies, thinking about the holidays and family time spent by Vanderbilt and his wife, Alice Gwynne Vanderbilt, and their seven children. from a cerebral hemorrhage caused by a stroke in 1899 at age 55, leaving The Breakers to his wife Alice Gwynne Vanderbilt, who survived. 35 years and died at the age of 89 in 1934. his youngest daughter, Gladys, who married; with Count Laszlo Szechenyi of Hungary, he inherited the house after the death of his mother. An ardent supporter of the Newport County Preservation Society, she opened The Breakers in 1948 to raise funds for the Society. In 1972, the Preservation Society purchased the house to his heirs. Today, the house is designated a National Historic Landmark.
Also See: Exploring the Vanderbilt Marble House