Vizcaya Museum & Gardens - Beautiful Miami, Florida Landmark
EducationVizcaya Museum & Gardens - Beautiful Miami, Florida Landmark
Vizcaya Museum and Gardens is a beautiful landmark located in the heart of Miami, Florida at 3251 South Miami Avenue in the north Coconut Grove area of the city. Vizcaya Museum and Gardens contains the beautiful 34 room Mediterranean Revival architectural style Villa Vizcaya Mansion as well as 10 acres of Italian Renaissance gardens and 40 acres of native Florida gardens and landscapes.
The Vizcaya Estate was built from 1914 to 1919 for farm equipment manufacturer and millionaire James Deering.
Deering was the son of William Deering who started the Deering Harvester Company which eventually became International Harvester.
James Deering built the Villa Vizcaya Mansion and surrounding gardens as his winter home and retreat. When Deering died in 1925 the estate passed on to his two nieces who maintained the place while selling off much of the surrounding land that was part of the property.
In 1952 the Deering family sold the Villa Vizcaya Estate to Miami-Dade County reportedly for a well below market price. The family also donated all of the interior furnishings from the home to Miami-Dade County with the understanding the furnishings were to be part of the Vizcaya Museum.
Image Source by Amanda Govaert
In 1953 Miami-Dade County opened what is known today as the Vizcaya Museum and Gardens to the public and for weddings and special events. The estate was a big tourist attraction in Miami when it opened and it remains a big tourist attraction in the city today still owned by Miami-Dade County.
Over the years the Vizcaya Museum and Gardens has suffered damage from hurricanes that swept through the Miami area. Combined with the damaging effects of the salt air and high humidity levels in Florida the Vizcaya Mansion has needed constant upkeep. But the county has been up to the task and has spent many millions of dollars keeping this beautiful Miami landmark in great condition. Miami-Dade County rents out Villa Vizcaya for weddings, parties and special events and occasions to raise money to maintain this great estate.
Vizcaya Museum and Gardens is a great place to see and visit and a fun place to spend a day in Miami, Florida. It is open daily except for Tuesdays and Thanksgiving and Christmas Day.
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Sources:http://www.vizcayamuseum.org/home.asp
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Villa_Vizcaya