Share
SAN SIMEON — California’s famous Hearst Castle will reopen to the public in May after a two-year closure due to the pandemic and severe rainstorm damage that prompted a $13.7 million renovation.
“Hearst Castle is a state treasure and we are thrilled to reopen this wonder to the public to enjoy in a safe and responsible manner,” California State Parks Director Armando Quintero said in a news release. “We are confident that these once-in-a-lifetime repairs and improvements to the road facility will serve countless generations to come.”
The steep, curvy access road to the palatial home that media mogul William Randolph Hearst built on ranch land overlooking the Pacific was damaged by atmospheric rivers — storms fueled by long and wide plumes of moistures pulled in from the Pacific — in 2021.
The San Luis Obispo County castle designed by architect Julia Morgan includes a 115-room main house, as well as guesthouses, pools, and cultivated gardens, according to the California State Parks. Construction dates back to 1919.
The access road, which rises 1,650 feet over 5 miles, was “reconstructed and re-engineered” over 10 months, according to state officials. The project included replacing and enlarging clay pipe culverts from the 1920s that had been damaged by the rainstorms. Some historic stone retaining walls were also restored by hand.
The castle sees about 850,000 visitors annually, meaning about 22,000 bus trips traverse the access road each year. Some travel as often as every 10 minutes in the summer tourism season.
The castle will reopen on Wednesday, May 11.
RELATED TOPICS:
After Losing Population in Recent Years, California Grows Again. Is That a Good Thing?
24 hours ago
Yellen Says Threats to Democracy Risk US Economic Growth, an Indirect Jab at Trump
2 days ago
New Sea Route for Gaza Aid on Track. Treating Starving Children Is a Priority
2 days ago
At Time of Rising Antisemitism, Holocaust Survivors Take on Denial and Hate in New Digital Campaign
2 days ago
Gov. Newsom Appoints Judges for Fresno, Merced Counties
2 days ago
Israel Briefs US on Evacuation Plan for Palestinians Ahead of Planned Rafah Assault
3 days ago
Israel Orders Al Jazeera to Close Its Local Operation, Seizes Some Equipment