Rosecliff

Newport


Built for Mrs Hermann Oelrichs, an heiress of the Comstock Lode silver treasure, Rosecliff was designed by Stanford White to look like the Grand Trianon at Versailles, and its palatial ballroom (Newport's largest) and landscaped grounds quickly became the setting for some truly enormous parties. Houdini entertained at one. Today it's managed by the Preservation Society of Newport County, which offers discounted tickets for visits to other mansions in its custodianship.

If the building seems oddly familiar during your visit, that might be because it has appeared in films such as the 1974 Great Gatsby, Amistad and High Society. In June the Newport Flower Show is held here.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Newport attractions

1. Marble House

0.2 MILES

Designed by Richard Morris Hunt and built in 1892 for William K Vanderbilt, the younger brother of Cornelius II, the gaudy Marble House – built of many…

3. The Breakers' Stable & Carriage House

0.36 MILES

Designed by Richard Morris Hunt of The Breakers' fame, this carriage house and former stables, which belong to their eponymous mansion, now house a museum…

4. The Breakers

0.55 MILES

A 70-room Italian Renaissance megapalace inspired by 16th-century Genoese palazzi, the Breakers is the most magnificent of Newport's grandiose mansions…

5. Rough Point

0.66 MILES

While the peerless position and splendor of the grounds alone are worth the price of admission, this faux-English manor house also contains heiress and…

6. Preservation Society of Newport County

0.7 MILES

Ten historic properties, including six of Newport's grandest mansions, are managed by this society. Each mansion takes about 90 minutes to tour. From…

7. Ochre Court

0.75 MILES

Designed by Richard Morris Hunt and built in 1892, Ochre Court offers a grand view of the sea from its soaring three-story hallway. Elsewhere you can find…

8. The Elms

0.91 MILES

Designed by Horace Trumbauer in 1901, the Elms is a replica of Château d'Asnières, built near Paris in 1750. Here you can take a 'behind-the-scenes' tour…