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249:. Plans were to fully open the site to the public in 2009, but cost overruns delayed the opening. Currently the Castle and Grounds show over 5,000 individual cacti in over 100 different varieties, all maintained by Tovrea Carraro Society. The Society offers guided tours of the grounds, first floor, and basement along with special events as the Operator and Manager of the site.
288:'s centennial on February 14, 2012, including a visitors center. Tovrea Carraro Society, a local non profit organization formed to operate and manage the site, in partnership with the City of Phoenix, has been conducting guided tours of the grounds, first floor, and basement as well as holding special events since March 2012.
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Tovrea Castle at
Carraro Heights is named in honor of the original builder, Alessio Carraro, and its second owners, E. A. and Della Tovrea. Contrary to local legend, the castle was not built by E. A. Tovrea for his wife as a duplication of their wedding cake. In fact, the Tovreas bought the castle
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detailing within its interior and exterior light fixtures. In addition, the castle is lit during the night by LED bulbs distributed along the roofs and fences. The net result on viewing the castle from a distance is of a romanticized medieval castle, despite the absence of any architectural details
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An early sketch of a design for
Carraro's intended hotel was made for him by a local architect that was immediately rejected, and bears little resemblance to the structure actually built. Carraro never intended to use the design and was intent on building the Castle similar to those he saw in his
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Although the castle had long been recognized as a city landmark, the deteriorated state of the grounds and the building left it unsuitable for use as a city park. After finalizing the purchase of the 44 acres surrounding the castle, the City of
Phoenix began an effort to restore the building and
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by
Alessio Carraro, and was originally intended as the hotel centerpiece of a planned destination resort. It became a private residence after its purchase in 1931 by E.A. and Della Tovrea. The castle is now part of the Phoenix Parks System and is designated as one of the
308:, and as such has earned it the local nickname "The Wedding Cake Castle." The castle has historically eclectic and romanticized European architectural influences including parapets surrounding the roofline of each tier, while also reflecting
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In 2006, significant work was begun on restoring the gardens surrounding the castle to their previous state. Diseased and dead plants were removed from the site while surviving vegetation was rehabilitated. During restoration efforts, 352
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240:) to the east, Washington Street to the south, Van Buren Street to the north and the Main Post Office to the west. Locally known as the "Wedding Cake Castle," it was built from 1929 to 1931 in a vernacular
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in 1996. Earlier names for the structure included "Carraro
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are offered an excellent view of the site. This has led to the castle having become one of the most prominent
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Italian homeland. Working with the solid granite grounds, his vision of the Castle became his own.
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After many delays, the City of
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Houses on the
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National
Register of Historic Places in Phoenix, Arizona
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1542:Baroque Revival architecture in the United States
451:"Phoenix Guards Its Castle Against Desert Sprawl"
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300:Tovrea Castle is a granite block, pine wood and
350:List of historic properties in Phoenix, Arizona
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421:"City unsure when Tovrea Castle will open"
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38:U.S. National Register of Historic Places
232:on 44 acres (18 ha) bounded by the
16:Historic house in Arizona, United States
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228:at 5041 East Van Buren Street in
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482:Map location of Tovrea Castle
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176:December 1929 to January 1931
107:Show map of the United States
1387:Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation
648:Shemer Art Center and Museum
594:The Herberger Theater Center
313:supporting that perception.
252:The castle was added to the
224:is a historic structure and
19:United States historic place
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678:Wesley Bolin Memorial Plaza
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569:Desert Botanical Garden
518:Phoenix Points of Pride
438:. The Arizona Republic.
423:. The Arizona Republic.
247:Phoenix Points of Pride
193:Italianate Architecture
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529:Arizona Biltmore Hotel
453:. Preservation Online.
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168:44 acres (18 ha)
1480:United States portal
234:Red Mountain Freeway
149:33.4509°N 111.9732°W
1368:Indian reservations
658:St. Mary's Basilica
653:South Mountain Park
408:. January 23, 2007.
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82:Show map of Arizona
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1062:Queen Creek
901:County seat
638:Phoenix Zoo
619:Papago Park
279:wildflowers
152: /
140:111°58′24″W
128:Coordinates
1496:Categories
1419:Allenville
1338:Sunnyslope
1318:Salt River
1303:Palo Verde
1222:Camp Creek
1137:Morristown
1068:Wickenburg
1032:Cave Creek
983:Scottsdale
818:Santa Cruz
725:Properties
371:References
137:33°27′03″N
1458:Footnotes
1439:Marinette
1358:Weedville
1333:Sunflower
1263:Forepaugh
1233:Chiulikam
1217:Beardsley
1197:Populated
1167:Sun Lakes
1152:St. Johns
1147:Rio Verde
1142:New River
1102:Arlington
1074:Youngtown
1052:Guadalupe
1042:Gila Bend
947:El Mirage
181:Architect
1348:Totopitk
1328:Sentinel
1187:Wittmann
1157:Sun City
1027:Carefree
998:Tolleson
988:Surprise
957:Goodyear
952:Glendale
942:Chandler
932:Avondale
827:Prescott
788:Maricopa
778:Greenlee
763:Coconino
324:See also
318:Loop 202
310:Art Deco
226:landmark
206:96000309
117:Location
1424:Cashion
1353:Waddell
1298:Moivayi
1288:Liberty
1177:Tonopah
1127:Komatke
1047:Gilbert
978:Phoenix
937:Buckeye
908:Phoenix
823:Yavapai
792:Phoenix
758:Cochise
733:Arizona
727:on the
286:Arizona
275:saguaro
1444:Sundad
1429:Harqua
1308:Papago
1278:Laveen
1273:Higley
1199:places
1097:Anthem
1092:Aguila
972:Peoria
918:Cities
803:Navajo
798:Mohave
783:La Paz
773:Graham
753:Apache
302:stucco
55:(2022)
1172:Theba
1019:Towns
993:Tempe
813:Pinal
173:Built
1248:Crag
1122:Kaka
1084:CDPs
967:Mesa
833:Yuma
808:Pima
768:Gila
165:Area
731:in
201:No.
1498::
904::
889:,
404:.
398:.
379:^
1405:/
1394:‡
1378:‡
1229:‡
1070:‡
1064:‡
974:‡
928:‡
876:e
869:t
862:v
829:)
825:(
794:)
790:(
717:e
710:t
703:v
621:/
510:e
503:t
496:v
236:(
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