Postmarked Oakland CA, dated 23 August 2005.
Hearst Castle
#24887 Casa Grande
Architect Julia Morgan and a large crew of craftsmen, who began work on the project in 1922, made Hearst's vision for La Cuesta Encantada tangible. The final product combines historical elements and modern techniques, in an unparalleled architectural and decorative feat.
It was built on a ranch first bought by Hearst's father. The main house, Casa Grande, is modeled after a 16th century Spanish cathedral. The estate was donated by the Hearst Corporation to the state of California on condition that the family would be allowed to use it when they wished.
Xanadu they called it in the movie, named after the fabulous actual ancient Mongolian city of that name. Citizen Kane, obviously the story of newspaper mogul William Randolph Hearst, played by Orson Welles.
ReplyDeleteHearst Castle is not quite as fantastic as the mystical Xanadu in the movie, but fantastic enough. And, like the movie version, build on a moutain.
Or "built". :)
ReplyDeleteThe original Hearst ranch, as you say, was named "Casa Grande" (Big House) which in tern comes from that wonderful building in Cuba, whose spires are refelcted, full circle, in the architecture of the end product, Hearst Castle. The official name of Hearst Castle, Cuesta Encantata, means "Enchanted Hill."
ReplyDeleteI suspect you have now heard enough of this and will soon bar me as a spammer, so I will leave now. :)
that's beautiful.
ReplyDeleteI saw san simeon in carmel ca.
wonder if I have a postcard.. hmmmm ?
this is a feast for the spirit.
Thanks
I have been inside Hearst Castle. It is magnificent.
ReplyDeleteI really love this site, seeing what your are going to put up next.
Hoe many post cards did your dad collect?
@Max, funnily, the notification of your third comment did go into my email spam folder. Why I don't know, but I have marked you as "not spam". Thank you for the extra information which is always lovely to have, and the picture of the castle gives a much better idea of the place. Amazing!
ReplyDelete@RE Ausetkmt, it is beautiful as you say, a feast for the spirit.
@SlogBite, thanks. As for the number of cards, I have no idea. He had some in albums and some in boxes. Some were ordered in chronological order, some filed by country. And now of course, I've mixed in my own cards so, truly, I have no idea.
Oh, and Slogbite, I have no idea what I'm going to put up next most of the time either :) I do them in batches and mainly take them as they come to hand, apart from the occasional weeks where I do a theme.
ReplyDelete