The Hearst Castle is Re-Opening May 11

After being closed for two years, Hearst Castle in San Simeon is reopening May 11, with a new tour dedicated to architect Julia Morgan and a belated celebration of the estate's 100th anniversary.

Construction on Hearst Castle began in 1919, after media mogul William Randolph Hearst tapped Morgan to build his estate in San Simeon on a piece of land called la cuesta encantada (Spanish for "the enchanted hill"). The resulting opulent 165-room mansion, surrounded by 127 acres of gardens, pools, and terraces with panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean, is a jewel box of Mission Revival architecture and took over three decades to complete. Hearst lived at the home until 1947 and in 1958, the family donated it to the state of California. Prior to the pandemic, the house museum welcomed 850,000 visitors a year, which helps fund the upkeep of its architectural flourishes, like the Neptune Pool and Gothic study.

The new tour will offer visitors a two-hour glimpse into Julia Morgan's career and life. Morgan was the first woman to become a licensed architect in the state of California and the first woman in the United States to head her own architectural office. Morgan had already worked for Hearst's mother and the two had known each other for about 15 years before Hearst hired her to create his architectural magnum opus. Although Morgan was fiercely private, she is responsible for over 700 buildings throughout California, an extraordinary accomplishment for an architect of any gender. Her impact on the aesthetic of the state is still felt today and Hearst Castle is one of her most famous buildings.

Located off, Highway 1, tour reservations are already being accepted for Hearst Castle for this spring and summer.

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