Hearst Castle is the grand mansion of the American newspaper magnate

Hearst Castle, built by newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst on a hill near San Simeon, California, is located between Los Angeles and San Francisco. The castle's construction began in 1919 and was completed after Hearst's death in 1957, and today it has become a unique landmark in the area. The castle was built on a ranch owned by Hearst's father, George Hearst (purchased in 1865, covering 160 square kilometers). Young Hearst also spent his childhood here. When Hearst's mother, Phoebe Apperson Hearst, passed away in 1919, the estate had expanded to a 1,000 square kilometer farm. Young Hearst inherited this property from his mother. At the same time, transformative construction on the farm began and continued until 1947, when it stopped due to Hearst's deteriorating health and his move out. San Francisco architect Julia Morgan was responsible for almost all of the architectural design. After Hearst's death, the family donated the castle and the surrounding estate to the state of California due to the inability to afford the high inheritance tax. Today, the castle serves as a state historical park in California and is open to visitors. To attract tourists, this mansion built between 1919-1947 is referred to as 'Hearst's Castle'. Hearst's Castle's two swimming pools are as luxurious as the castle itself. The outdoor Neptune Pool, 32 meters long, uses an oil heating system and is adorned with marble statues of Neptune and Nereids, reminiscent of ancient Roman and Greek mythology. The other is the indoor Roman Pool, smaller in size, resembling an ancient Roman bath with intricate decorations, including cobalt blue and gold smalti (glass tiles). Looking up, one can see the detailed mosaic patterns covering the ceiling and dome, depicting a starry night sky. Around the pool stand eight marble statues, all sculpted by Italian sculptor Carlo Freter, representing Greek and Roman gods and heroes. ⚠️Note: Visitors will first arrive at the Visitor Center, which is free to enter and contains some introductions to Hearst Castle and a display of some artifacts. However, the Visitor Center is very far from the castle, which is located on a hill. From the Visitor Center's observation deck, the castle can be seen in the distance, appearing very small! To enter the castle for a tour, one must purchase a ticket and take a bus up the mountain. There are various ticket options, each offering access to different sights within the castle! The most popular are: Grand Rooms Tour, which includes the reception hall, dining room, billiard room, etc. The hall contains huge tapestries, all precious artifacts transported from Europe! Many art pieces were once collected by European royalty, and Hearst, due to his early experiences in Europe and his love for European art, purchased many treasures. The tour concludes with a short film introducing Hearst Castle and its guests. Upstairs Suites Tour, which includes Hearst and his family's private residences, luxurious suites, luxurious guest suites, and the library. The upper level tour involves climbing a spiral staircase, so it's not recommended for those with mobility issues due to the number of stairs! Both of the above options require a bus ride up and down the mountain, each estimated to take about 2 hours! I have been on both of these popular tours, and both include a visit to the castle's facade and the luxurious indoor and outdoor swimming pools. There are also other options like the Kitchen Tour and Evening Tour, each requiring a separate ticket. The ride to the castle offers beautiful scenery, with views of the Eastern Pacific Ocean and surroundings that resemble an oil painting🖼️. The mountain road has many bends, and there are many cows🐂 on the way up🚌. Along the way, you'll pass enclosures for large animals, which once housed polar bears🐻‍❄️ After arriving at the mountain, it is mandatory to follow the park's guide and not to leave the group until the end of the tour and the bus ride down the mountain.