Pool Party Everyone! We wish, anyway. You may know about our love for pools, but please let us introduce you to the Roman Indoor Pool at Hearst Castle. Located on a hilltop in San Simeon, virtually in the middle of nowhere on 127 acres, William Randolph Hearst built a 165 room castle. Castle! With the most incredible tiled indoor pool we have ever seen.
The whole room is tiled from floor to celing in deep blue and gold 1" glass tiles (and those are high ceilings and a deep pool). Seriously, how many tiles are there?
The tiles, called Smalti, were inspired by the 5th Century Mausoleum of Galla Placidia and represent a traditional marine monster theme. The ceiling tiles create a picture of the stars in the sky. The whole experience is at once overwhelming and magical. Plus Roman gods and goddesses are all around (well as statues) watching you, making sure you are indulging, if you know what we mean. Because of all the tile, the room is eerily silent but the echo of even a drop of water overtakes you. We can only imagine the kinds of frolicking that happened in this pool--where all sense of reality is completely suspended.
It's such a good representation of the golden age of California. Where extravagance and escape knew no bounds. Up for a dip, anyone?
© 2009 Apartment Therapy
Sigh, that pool is definitely the most impressive part about Hearst Castle! (The lamp shades made of chopped up manuscript pages, not so much.)
view chiffonade's profile
This has always been my favorite room in the whole castle. The walls are tiled in a sea theme, and the pool is tiled in stars. The purpose of this was to make it seem as if you were diving from the water into the sky. It's amazing.
view isobel's profile
Yes this pool was definitely one of the highlights of the tour. I also love the lamps that are around the edge of the pool, as well as the recessed nook (you can see it in the photo above).
view cfsf's profile
Our guide explained to us that this pool room was actually a huge disappointment to Hearst because his guests didn't really use it. Apparently the pool depth freaked people out.
So sad because it really is stunning.
view theblt's profile
That pool is beautiful but, in person, something about the enclosure and the echoes and the darkness of the place does make it noticeably creepy. I can see why the guests wouldn't want to use it (and now I feel better because clearly, I wasn't the only one who ever got creeped out. ;) )
view TallulahJean's profile
My favorite part of Hearst Castle, too. When I went on a high school trip to Hearst Castle, someone in our group asked the guide if the pool ever got used. He said that once a summer, the foundation had a pool party for the docents that included access to this room.
view Enrique's profile
Like others have stated, the indoor pool is rather creepy. I'd say the outdoor Neptune pool would be a much more likely place for "indulging".
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:HearstCastle-Darter-2.jpg
view Editz's profile
I feel better knowing that I wasn't the only one thinking that the pool looked creepy. That's how I got here in the first place. I have this old nightmare I often think about that has a similar pool in it. I'm trying to find where the image came from. I can't imagine seeing this pool in person.
view Heather71's profile
i'm scared.
view SD913's profile