Tovrea Castle is a historic structure and

landmark A landmark is a recognizable natural or artificial feature used for navigation, a feature that stands out from its near environment and is often visible from long distances. In modern-day use, the term can also be applied to smaller structures ...

at 5041 East Van Buren Street in

Phoenix, Arizona Phoenix ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of cities and towns in Arizona#List of cities and towns, most populous city of the U.S. state of Arizona. With over 1.6 million residents at the 2020 census, it is the ...

, on bounded by the Red Mountain Freeway ( State Route 202) to the east, Washington Street to the south, Van Buren Street to the north and the Main Post Office to the west. Locally known as the "Wedding Cake Castle," it was built from 1929 to 1931 in a vernacular Italianate Architectural Style by Alessio Carraro, and was originally intended as the hotel centerpiece of a planned destination resort. It became a private residence after its purchase in 1931 by E.A. and Della Tovrea. The castle is now part of the Phoenix Parks System and is designated as one of the

Phoenix Points of Pride The Phoenix Points of Pride are 31 landmarks and attractions in Phoenix, Arizona, selected by voters since 1992 to represent the city's best features for residents and visitors. They include structures, such as St. Mary's Basilica, Phoenix, St. M ...

. Plans were to fully open the site to the public in 2009, but cost overruns delayed the opening. Currently the Castle and Grounds show over 5,000 individual cacti in over 100 different varieties, all maintained by Tovrea Carraro Society. The Society offers guided tours of the grounds, first floor, and basement along with special events as the Operator and Manager of the site. The castle was added to the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...

in 1996. Earlier names for the structure included "Carraro Heights" and "El Castillo". Current signs label it "Tovrea Castle at Carrarro Heights".

Tovrea Castle at Carraro Heights

Tovrea Castle at Carraro Heights is named in honor of the original builder, Alessio Carraro, and its second owners, E. A. and Della Tovrea. Contrary to local legend, the castle was not built by E. A. Tovrea for his wife as a duplication of their wedding cake. In fact, the Tovreas bought the castle from Alessio Carraro in 1931. Although the castle had long been recognized as a city landmark, the deteriorated state of the grounds and the building left it unsuitable for use as a city park. After finalizing the purchase of the 44 acres surrounding the castle, the city of Phoenix began an effort to restore the building and revitalize the gardens. In 2006, significant work was begun on restoring the gardens surrounding the castle to their previous state. Diseased and dead plants were removed from the site while surviving vegetation was rehabilitated. During restoration efforts, 352

saguaro The saguaro ( , ; ''Carnegiea gigantea'') is a tree-like cactus species in the monotypic genus ''Carnegiea'' that can grow to be over tall. It is native to the Sonoran Desert in Arizona, the Mexican state of Sonora, and the Whipple Mountains ...

cacti were planted on the site and over 2,000 other cacti were relocated. Other vegetation, including desert wildflowers, were planted in the gardens. Currently the park boasts over 5,000 individual cacti in over 100 different varieties. After many delays, the city of Phoenix finally completed the project by

Arizona Arizona is a U.S. state, state in the Southwestern United States, Southwestern region of the United States, sharing the Four Corners region of the western United States with Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah. It also borders Nevada to the nort ...

's centennial on February 14, 2012, including a visitors center. Tovrea Carraro Society, a local non profit organization formed to operate and manage the site, in partnership with the City of Phoenix, has been conducting guided tours of the grounds, first floor, and basement as well as holding special events since March 2012.

Characteristics

An early sketch of a design for Carraro's intended hotel was made for him by a local architect that was immediately rejected, and bears little resemblance to the structure actually built. Carraro never intended to use the design and was intent on building the Castle similar to those he saw in his Italian homeland. Working with the solid granite grounds, his vision of the Castle became his own. Tovrea Castle is a granite block, pine wood and

stucco Stucco or render is a construction material made of aggregates, a binder, and water. Stucco is applied wet and hardens to a very dense solid. It is used as a decorative coating for walls and ceilings, exterior walls, and as a sculptural and ...

building constructed in a unique four-tier fashion bearing a strong resemblance to a traditional

wedding cake A wedding cake is the traditional cake served at wedding receptions following dinner. In some parts of England, the wedding cake is served at a wedding breakfast; the 'wedding breakfast' does not mean the meal will be held in the morning, but at ...

, and as such has earned it the local nickname "The Wedding Cake Castle." The castle has historically eclectic and romanticized European architectural influences including parapets surrounding the roofline of each tier, while also reflecting

Art Deco Art Deco, short for the French (), is a style of visual arts, architecture, and product design that first Art Deco in Paris, appeared in Paris in the 1910s just before World War I and flourished in the United States and Europe during the 1920 ...

detailing within its interior and exterior light fixtures. In addition, the castle is lit during the night by LED bulbs distributed along the roofs and fences. The net result on viewing the castle from a distance is of a romanticized medieval castle, despite the absence of any architectural details supporting that perception. The castle is highly visible from surrounding areas, and in particular drivers on

Loop 202 Arizona State Route 202 (SR 202) or Loop 202 (202L) is a semi-beltway circling the eastern and southern areas of the Phoenix metropolitan area in central Maricopa County, Arizona. It traverses the eastern end and the southern en ...

are offered an excellent view of the site. This has led to the castle having become one of the most prominent Phoenix landmarks.

References

External links

*
Regarding Tovrea Castle, PhoenixMap location of Tovrea Castle
{{Authority control 1930s architecture in the United States 1931 establishments in Arizona Baroque Revival architecture in the United States Gardens in Arizona Gothic Revival architecture in Arizona Historic house museums in Arizona Houses completed in 1931 Houses in Phoenix, Arizona Houses on the National Register of Historic Places in Arizona National Register of Historic Places in Phoenix, Arizona Phoenix Points of Pride Tourist attractions in Phoenix, Arizona

Tovrea Castle at Carraro Heights

Characteristics

See also

References

External links