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4935 E Calle Ventura
Phoenix,
AZ
85018
33.451
-111.9809
Neighborhood: Camelback East
What People Are Saying About Tovrea Castle
The Editor
Contributor
Citysearch
In Short – Italian immigrant Alessio Carraro built Tovrea Castle around 70 years ago for use as a grand hotel. After the stock market crash in '29, the land was sold to Edward Tovrea and his wife, who lived there until 1969. The three-tiered castle was built without any plans and Carraro used many recycled materials on the interior. Outside, a 10-acre desert garden was filled with more than 300 varieties of cacti, walkways and two fish ponds. The Tovreas added a large reflecting pool, bird aviary, rose garden, a concrete patio for entertaining and finished it off with peacocks.
The Details on Tovrea Castle
One of Phoenix's Best:
Nominated as best historic site for its unique look and once exemplary gardens.
The Artist:
The plaster work done on the castle was by the same artist who did the Orpheum Theatre downtown.
Save Time:
Thousands have admired this desert spectacle from afar, but the castle was opened to the public only once in 1984.
Know Before You Go:
After years of neglect, the Tovrea Castle sits in disarray. Most of the exotic imported cacti in the Carraro Cactus Gardens have died, and the interior is deteriorating from water damage and vandalism. In '93, the City of Phoenix bought the castle and 40 surrounding acres and plans to restore it for use as a visitor's center. The gardens and castle will reopen after restoration.
