All it takes is a day at the Rhode Island Newport Mansions to step back into the Gilded Age. The Mansions are among some spectacular displays of wealth from this time. Christmas at the Newport Mansions puts the beauty of the architecture and immense wealth on full display. The Newport Mansions are decorated for the holidays from the middle of November until January 1st The Newport Mansions are at the top of things to do in Rhode Island and shouldn’t be missed any time of the year!
During the Christmas season there are three Mansions on full holiday display; The Breakers, The Marble House, and The Elms. During our visit we had the opportunity to tour The Breakers and The Marble House which took approximately 3 hours to visit the two Mansions.
The Breakers
The Breakers is one of the most luxurious mansions or “summer cottage”in Newport. Cornelius Vanderbilt II, one of the richest men in America at the time, had Richard Morris Hunt design the home which took two years (1893-1895) to build and is an extreme recreation of Italian Renaissance architecture.
The home cost $7 million dollars at the time which would equate to approximately $220 million today. The Breakers was given its name as a result of the sound of the waves that crash at the base of the cliff walls below. The Cliff Walk is another Newport bucket list item to enjoy.
You can find this “Cottage” at 44 Ochre Point Avenue in Newport, RI. The 70 room Mansion has five floors within 62,482 square feet of living space with each room more ornate than the last. The “Cottage” has 48 bedrooms to accomodate family and staff and there are 27 fireplaces. These mansions were typically only used 6 weeks out of the year as they were used as the family’s “summer cottage”.
The daughter of Cornelius and Alice Vanderbilt, Countess Szechenyi had the home given to her upon the passing of her parents. The Countess was struggling to maintain and afford the operating expenses of such a grand home so in 1948 she invited the Preservation Society of Newport to begin offering tours of the first floor to the public.
The Preservation Society in return covered the operating expenses and the maintenance of the home. In 1972, The Preservation Society officially purchased the property for $365,000 roughly $2.4 million today. As part of the purchase agreement, the Preservation Society granted the daughter of the Countess, Countess Sylvia Szapary, the ability to continue to live in the home. When Countess Sylvia passed in 1998, the family was allowed to live in the mansion on the third floor which was closed to the public. It was in 2017 that the last family member lived in the mansion.
The Marble House
The Marble House was the summer “cottage” of William K. Vanderbilt, Cornelius II’s brother, and his wife Alva. The mansion was a 39th birthday present for Alva. The mansion was also designed by Richard Morris Hunt but rather than in the Italian Renaissance style as the Breakers was, it was designed in a Beaux Arts style. It was modeled after the Petit Trianon at Versailles. The cost of the house was approximately $11 million (equivalent to $332 million today) upon which the 500,000 cubic feet of marble was $7 million of this. The mansion was built between 1888 and 1892.
You can find the “Cottage” at 596 Bellevue Avenue in Newport.
Marble House consists of 50 rooms and required 36 servants to maintain the home.
It is said that William K. Vanderbilt never spent one night at the mansion as Alva sought a divorce from William in 1895. Alva then married Oliver H.P, Belmont, and moved to his home Belcourt just down the street. When Oliver H.P. Belmont died, she reopened the Marble House and then built the Chinese Tea House in the back garden along the cliff. Alva hosted her rallies for women’s suffrage from the Tea House. Alva closed the “Cottage” in 1919 and ultimately sold it to Frederick H. Prince in 1932. It wasn’t until 1963 that the Preservation Society of Newport County purchased the home from the Prince Trust.
Travel Tips and Recommendations
You are able to purchase tickets online or in person at the mansions. There are different packages depending on how much time you have. There are tickets to visit just The Breakers only, a single mansion or multiple. You can purchase the tickets in advance as the tickets are not for any particular day, excluding two tours; The Elms Servant Life Tour and Beneath The Breakers which are a timed ticket.
It recommended to bring your own headphones in order to listen to the audio tour of each mansion. You should download the Newport Mansion app before arriving at each mansion. It can be found on the Apple App Store or Google Play.
If you are traveling with young children, keep in mind that strollers & carriages are not allowed inside any of the houses.
If you are planning a visit, the summer will be the busiest time. In order to avoid some of the crowds, plan to arrive early as parking does fill up. It goes without saying that weekends and holidays are the busiest so if you are able to visit during the week, this would be your best option. The Rhode Island Public Transit Authority also offer Trolley service which departs from the Newport Visitor Information Center. The No. 67 Bellevue/Mansions trolley route is the best option.
Whether you are visiting the Newport Mansions at Christmas Time or really anytime of the year they are a must do! It will become very clear why the HBO series “The Gilded Age” was inspired by these majestic “cottages”.
Which Mansion is your favorite and what time of year you enjoy visiting Newport.