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The most well known (and beautiful) spaces at San Simeon are the pools. While the
Roman Pool was abandoned by guests, the
Neptune Pool , seen here, was the epicenter of the estate and continues to be used by staff!
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My favorite shot of the pool - the shaded loggia which surrounds the pool with views of the ocean, the mountains and up the Big Sur. Can't you just see yourself here with a stack of magazines and cool drinks?
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In the background, notice the lights on concrete 'terms' which I discussed in my post on
lanterns. I love those ionic columns!
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This pool was known as the temporary pool, built originally for the visit of Hearst's semi-estranged sons in 1924 who were living with his wife in NY and eventually rebuilt 3 times by 1936 into what we see today.
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The focus of the pool is the temple, pieced together from Hearst's extensive collection of Roman antiquities. The entire estate feels like one big jig-saw puzzle at times! The parts which were missing were simply recreated to finish off the building.
Above you see the pool filler, a bit fancier than yours at home?
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Another beautiful marble pool ladder.
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The white marble glows blue, as you can see, due to the blue tilework. We need more blue pools like this today, so refreshing!
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The ceilings of the loggia were also marble with a light fixture in each coffer.
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This grouping of statues depicting the birth of Venus in the corner against the hillside was not antique but rather carved in the 1930s by Italian artisans.
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As you can tell from the shot below, the estate is located 5 miles on the top of a huge hill from the base at the ocean (and route 1). The 'camp' of houses exists further up the hill from the pool.
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I hope you enjoyed the tour of the Neptune Pool, just what we need in this record heat!
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Wednesday, July 21, 2010
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