Hearst Castle
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Hearst Castle, known formally as La Cuesta Encantada, is a historic estate in San Simeon, located on the Central Coast of California. Conceived by William Randolph Hearst, the publishing tycoon, and his architect Julia Morgan, the castle was built between 1919 and 1947. Today, Hearst Castle is a museum open to the public as a California State Park and registered as a National Historic Landmark and California Historical Landmark.
Casa Grande, inspired by the Church of Santa María la Mayor, Ronda, Spain, forms the centerpiece of Hearst's estate.
The bell tower of the restored Mission San Miguel Arcángel
Marion Davies – Hearst's lover from 1918, and chatelaine of Hearst Castle
A publicity shot for Citizen Kane
San Simeon, California
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San Simeon is a village and Census-designated place on the Pacific coast of San Luis Obispo County, California, United States. Its position along State Route 1 is about halfway between Los Angeles and San Francisco, each of those cities being roughly 230 miles (370 km) away. A key feature of the area is Hearst Castle, a hilltop mansion built for William Randolph Hearst in the early 20th century that is now a tourist attraction. The area is also home to a large northern elephant seal rookery, known as the Piedras Blancas rookery, located 7 miles (11 km) north of San Simeon on Highway 1.
View of Hearst Castle
Historic Pier of San Simeon
Old Hearst pier (built 1878) and the San Simeon waterfront, c. 1890s. Wooden warehouse and employee residence, next to rail line (dark wood) are at center. The white Spanish-style stucco building at right center is also a Hearst warehouse, still in use. The ridge in background is the future site of Hearst Castle.
Elephant seals on the beach, north of San Simeon