The Marble House in Newport can only bring to mind images of Gilded Age largesse: an American Versailles created out of beauty, heritage, and timeless opulence.
Perched on the oceanfront cliffs of Rhode Island, Marble House remains one of the United States’ greatest architectural achievements: a mansion that personifies the ambition and artistry of the Gilded Age elite.
Commissioned by Alva Vanderbilt in 1888, Marble House was influenced by the Petit Trianon at Versailles and constructed largely from 500,000 cubic feet of marble brought in from Europe. Designed by architect Richard Morris Hunt, construction on the mansion took more than four years to complete and cost an estimated $11 million at the time-equivalent to over $350 million today.
Step inside, and history comes alive: a grand staircase curving under ceilings of gold leaf, salons shimmering in gilded mirrors, Louis XIV furniture, and chandeliers made in Paris. Every room holds a story of the rise of American aristocracy and the eternal appeal of European taste.
Commanding a view over the Atlantic, Marble House is at once a monument to both ambition and artistry-a temple of luxury wherein the past shines bright with timeless brilliance.
