Tovrea Castle

Phoenix, Arizona

Drivers along the Loop 202 in Phoenix often wonder about the white "wedding-cake" castle on a hill next to the freeway. The castle was built between 1928 and 1930 by Italian immigrant Alessio Carraro, to be surrounded by desert gardens as the centerpiece of a planned resort. The resort was never built; Carraro sold the castle to Edward and Della Tovrea in 1931. After the death of the Tovreas, the property fell into disrepair but was eventually purchased by the Phoenix Parks and Recreation Department. At the present time (2008) the house is still in the process of restoration and is not yet open to the public, but tours (by reservation only) are given of the Carraro Cactus Garden on the grounds. Below is a photo of the sunlit side of the castle.

Directions: West side of the Loop 202 freeway, between Van Buren Street and Washington Street.

Last visited: March 2008.

Standard disclaimer: Sites are described for entertainment purposes only, as they were at the time of my last visit. I can not vouch for the current condition of the site or its accessibility.