Belvedere Tower Ca’ d’Zan Mansion

Belvedere Tower Ca’ d’Zan Mansion, Ringling Museum, Sarasota

–  Click on the image to enlarge or purchase  –

Belvedere Tower Ca’ d’Zan Mansion

Continuing our look at the Ca’ d’Zan Mansion at the Ringling Museum in Sarasota, Florida (see first post of the colored glass door).  The 36,000 square-foot Venetian Gothic mansion is constructed from terra cotta “T” blocks, concrete and brick covered with stucco and terra cotta and embellished with glazed tile.  Decorative tile medallions, balustrades and ornamental cresting in soft red, yellow, green, blue and ivory highlight the pink patina of the stucco and terra cotta exterior. It has five floors, the top of which is the 81-foot Belvedere tower. These two views looking up to the tower from the bayfront terrace show some of the intricate carving and tiles which decorate the building.

Belvedere Tower Ca’ d’Zan Mansion, Ringling Museum, Sarasota

–  Click on the image to enlarge or purchase  –

The John Ringling Estate as the mansion and surrounding grounds are known is included as part of the Caples–Ringling Estates Historic District which also includes the Charles Ringling Estate  and the Ralph Caples Estate, all of which are located next door to one another along Bayshore Drive in Sarasota.  The Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in December 1982.  Both the Charles Ringling Estate and the Ralph Caples Estate are now part of the campus of New College of Florida.

Click here to learn more about John Ringling’s years in Sarasota where he wintered the famous circus and the Ca’ d’Zan Mansion.

We will continue our tour of the Ca’ d’Zan Mansion in the next post with a look at  some of the Venetian Gothic Architectural Details in more detail.