HearstCastle

These pictures were taken during two tours, tour one and two of the Hearst Castle. Of course, pictures simply don't do it justice. We look forward to going back for more tours, espcially the evening tour which starts in September.

	Aug03Trip103 Road up to the tourist building where you get the tickets to ride up the 5 mile hill to the Castle, which is 5 miles up a steep hill from the sea. Photographed by: Wendy Photograph taken on: 8/13/2003
	Aug03Trip044 Main Entrance into the ticket sales and tourist shops for Hearst Caslte Photographed by: Wendy Photograph taken on: 8/13/2003
	Aug03Trip045 Dennis inside the shop area and ticket sales for Hearst Castle. There are 5 tours, we went on the 1st one and on the way home we went on the 2nd tour. I would love to go on the evening tour, but that isn't until September. The evening tour puts on all the lights in the gardens and around the pool, plus the staff wear old English period costumes. Photographed by: Wendy Photograph taken on: 8/13/2003
	Aug03Trip048 There are busses every TEN minutes going up the hill to the castle, they all have a lovely painting on the side. While traveling up the hill we listened to an audio tape telling us what we were seeing on the way up the hill and what we would see on tours. Photographed by: Wendy Photograph taken on: 8/13/2003
	Aug03Trip051 I took this picture out of the Coach window half way up the hill, it's hard to see the sea in the distance. We were told that the weather was unseasonably cool for July and we were lucky as just the week before it was over 100.... whew, that would have spoiled the tour for me. Photographed by: Wendy Photograph taken on: 8/13/2003
	Aug03Trip052 We pile off the bus and head for one of many steps leading up into the different levels of the gardens and all the buildings. IE: main house, guest houses, kitchen, indoor and outdoor pools, staff quarters etc. Photographed by: Wendy Photograph taken on: 8/13/2003
	Aug03Trip053 Close up of one of many pieces of art work as we start walking up the stairs to the buildings. Photographed by: Wendy Photograph taken on: 8/13/2003
	Aug03Trip054 Our first stop was Neptune pool. The whole pool is surrounded by statues and it's covered in very small tiles. They said the pool only gets warm enough to swim in after it's hit 100 for a few days. At that time the staff are allowed to swim in the pool in the evening after the tourist go home. Photographed by: Wendy Photograph taken on: 8/13/2003
	Aug03Trip055 Another shot of neptune pool Photographed by: Wendy Photograph taken on: 8/13/2003
	Aug03Trip056 Under one of the arches around the pool, note the detail to the ceiling of this outdoor arch. Photographed by: Wendy Photograph taken on: 8/13/2003
	Aug03Trip057 Up another level and looking down at one of the arches around the pool. Photographed by: Wendy Photograph taken on: 8/13/2003
	Aug03Trip058 I think the first tower is the main house. Photographed by: Wendy Photograph taken on: 8/13/2003
	Aug03Trip059 Getting closer to the main house Photographed by: Wendy Photograph taken on: 8/13/2003
	Aug03Trip060 One of many courtyards which is in front of one of the guest homes. Photographed by: Wendy Photograph taken on: 8/13/2003
	Aug03Trip061 All the buildings had very thick walls and the structure was made cement and then etched out to look like bricks. Note the highest ledge sticking out, that was beautiful carved wood. Photographed by: Wendy Photograph taken on: 8/13/2003
	Aug03Trip062 This is an ancient coffin-type box from Egypt which was NOT buried. We were told that the body is placed in here and a mixture was poured on the body to help it decay quickly. Photographed by: Wendy Photograph taken on: 8/13/2003
	Aug03Trip063 Notice the far building, the exterior was never finished with the fake brick finish. Hearst died in the mid-fifties and the work stopped. About 30 years ago the hearst family donated the castle to California as the upkeep wasn't worth the investment. Photographed by: Wendy Photograph taken on: 8/13/2003
	Aug03Trip064 One of many bedroom. The Castle complex has about 20 bedrooms. Notice the carved wood door, which actually has gold on it. Photographed by: Wendy Photograph taken on: 8/13/2003
	Aug03Trip065 Hearst had a thing about ceilings and they were all different, this one was spectacular. Anything in gold color was real GOLD. Photographed by: Wendy Photograph taken on: 8/13/2003
	Aug03Trip066 Fireplace in a bedroom. Photographed by: Wendy Photograph taken on: 8/13/2003
	Aug03Trip067 This was a bright sitting room between two bedrooms, all thesewalls were covered in curtains with large widows/doors facing a balcony. ... see below Photographed by: Wendy Photograph taken on: 8/13/2003
	Aug03Trip068 One wall with large glass doors leading out to a balcony. Photographed by: Wendy Photograph taken on: 8/13/2003
	Aug03Trip069 Another bedroom. Most of the furniture has been in the castle for nearly 100 years but the actual furniture is usually much, much older. Hearst filled his castle with antiques furniture from around the world. Photographed by: Wendy Photograph taken on: 8/13/2003
	Aug03Trip070 another bedroom Photographed by: Wendy Photograph taken on: 8/13/2003
	Aug03Trip071 another bedroom, one of four that had an entrance from long hallway that had massive windows looking over the valley, see next picture. Photographed by: Wendy Photograph taken on: 8/13/2003
	Aug03Trip072 Looking out of the long hallway which leads into 4-5 bedrooms. Photographed by: Wendy Photograph taken on: 8/13/2003
	Aug03Trip073 all statues are very old, the middle one of Galileo. Photographed by: Wendy Photograph taken on: 8/13/2003
	Aug03Trip079 Ceilings in the dining room. Photographed by: Wendy Photograph taken on: 8/13/2003
	Aug03Trip082 More ceilings, can't rememeber which room this one was in. Photographed by: Wendy Photograph taken on: 8/13/2003
	Aug03Trip083 This bedroom was split level, with front room and bathroom downstairs and bedroom up stairs... see next picture. Photographed by: Wendy Photograph taken on: 8/13/2003
	Aug03Trip084 Split level bedroom, with bedroom upstairs.. see previous picture. Photographed by: Wendy Photograph taken on: 8/13/2003
	Aug03Trip085 First picture in the kitchen. Photographed by: Wendy Photograph taken on: 8/13/2003
	Aug03Trip086 Kitchen, note the on-tap beer. Photographed by: Wendy Photograph taken on: 8/13/2003
	Aug03Trip087 More of the kitchen, note the three layered rotisserie on the far left, cutting-edge in those days. Photographed by: Wendy Photograph taken on: 8/13/2003
	Aug03Trip088 more of the kitchen, close-up of the rotisserie. Photographed by: Wendy Photograph taken on: 8/13/2003
	Aug03Trip089 more of the kitchen which shows THREE bread ovens Photographed by: Wendy Photograph taken on: 8/13/2003
	Aug03Trip091 many movie stars played tennis on this court. Photographed by: Wendy Photograph taken on: 8/13/2003
	Aug03Trip092 The indoor swimming pool, this has real gold plated tiles on all the walls and ceilings, including the pool. They were glass tiles plated on one side, the gold side was placed on the bottom, so you really saw the gold but were walking on glass. Photographed by: Wendy Photograph taken on: 8/13/2003
	Aug03Trip093 more of the pool, see previous picture for more info. Photographed by: Wendy Photograph taken on: 8/13/2003
	Aug03Trip095 More of the pool, this shows one section that actually leads into another room where there are stairs going up to the balcony which is the diving board you can see. This huge pool used to be heated in Hearsts days. The water for the whole castle came from an artesian well further up the hill and was simply gravity fed. Photographed by: Wendy Photograph taken on: 8/13/2003

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This page last updated on 8/13/2003 8:48:21 AM.