Liquor Smugglers, A Pope, and Tony Stark All Walked the Halls of This “Great Gatsby” Miami Villa

Miami’s Very Own Italian Palace

Early Miami was mostly swamps, mangroves, and crocodiles.

Hardly the place you’d expect to find a 54-room palace. Yet Vizcaya was built here, complete with formal gardens, fountains, statues, and European fireplaces.

Even more surprising is how this unlikely mansion became a destination visited by kings, popes, and world leaders, and celebrated by brides and quinceañeras.

It Was Built to Help Deering’s Anemia

Villa Vizcaya was built in 1914 by James Deering, a Chicago industrialist who sold farming equipment.

He had anemia, and his doctor recommended moving to a warmer climate. Since he liked boating, South Florida was perfect.

Deering lived at Vizcaya during winters from 1916 until he died in 1925.

The Famous Stone Barge

About 100 years ago, the only way to reach James Deering’s Vizcaya palace was by boat.

With few roads in the wild outskirts of Miami, Deering and his guests would dock at a limestone yacht landing and cross a short Venetian bridge to reach the villa’s east terrace.

The first thing visitors would see was Vizcaya’s unique stone barge. It had twin prows decorated with classical statues, obelisks, urns, and hand-carved balustrades.

In Deering’s time, it also featured gardens, fountains, and a latticed “summer house.”

The stone barge served two purposes: a place for Deering’s lavish parties, and a breakwater that protects Villa Vizcaya from storms.

It Was the Target of an Art Heist in 1971

In 1971, three people from New York stole $1.5 million worth of art, jewelry, and collectibles from Vizcaya.

Police caught the thieves in New York City three days later but only recovered a small portion of the stolen items.

People Got Drunk at the Villa During Prohibition

During Prohibition, when alcohol was illegal, Vizcaya was far from a dry place.

Deering had goods regularly shipped to his estate through the Deering Channel, which he had dredged in Biscayne Bay.

This channel, still used today, allowed ships to deliver items directly to Vizcaya, including large amounts of alcohol. By 1920, when national Prohibition began, Deering had already built up a large supply of alcohol.

Since Miami had been “dry” since 1913, these shipments were sometimes called “comforters” in letters to hide their true nature.

After he died in 1925, the bottles remained hidden in Vizcaya’s cellars until December 1933, when Prohibition ended. Today, Vizcaya still has 190 bottles from Deering’s original collection.

1 in 10 Miami Residents Worked on Villa Vizcaya

James Deering hired about 1,000 workers to build his luxury estate on Biscayne Bay in what is now Coconut Grove. This represented approximately 10% of Miami’s entire population at that time.

Pope John Paul II Met with a US President Here

Villa Vizcaya was one of the few places that Pope John Paul II visited during his trip to Miami in 1987.

He met with President Ronald Reagan in the villa.

Together, they walked through Vizcaya’s beautiful gardens talking about peace, justice, and freedom. You can now see the chairs they sat in while visiting the Main House on display in the Living Room.

Queen Elizabeth Visited Villa Vizcaya, Too

When Queen Elizabeth II visited Miami in 1991, she chose Vizcaya as one of her destinations—making it one of only a few Florida sites ever graced by the monarch.

Throughout her tour, a Vizcaya historian walked alongside her to answer questions while she admired both the magnificent mansion and its elaborate grounds.

Even Iron Man Was in Villa Vizcaya at One Point

The estate’s striking architecture and beautiful grounds make it a popular backdrop for Hollywood productions.

Several movies have filmed scenes here, including Iron Man 3, Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, and The Money Pit.

Many other films have featured Vizcaya’s exterior, such as Bad Boys II, Airport ’77, Any Given Sunday, Tony Rome, and Dostana.

It Helped Build a Catholic Hospital in Miami

After James Deering died, his half-brother Charles and his nieces Barbara and Marion inherited Vizcaya.

They maintained the estate for many years, but eventually began selling parts of the surrounding land due to hurricane damage and high maintenance costs.

In 1945, they sold some of the Vizcaya property to the Catholic Diocese of St. Augustine to help build Mercy Hospital in Miami.

The Miami-Dade County Turned Villa Vizcaya into a Museum

In 1952, Miami-Dade County bought the run-down estate for $1 million (worth about $10.6 million today).

The county transformed it into the Dade-County Art Museum, with Deering’s heirs donating all the art and antiques in the villa.

On its first day as a museum, nearly 1,000 people came to visit. Guests paid $1 to see the gardens and another $1.23 to go inside the main house.

In 1994, the Vizcaya estate became an official National Historic Landmark.

Visiting Villa Vizcaya

You can find Vizcaya Museum and Gardens at 3251 South Miami Avenue, Miami, FL.

Wander the 10-acre formal gardens, tour 34 grand rooms in the Main House, and join special events throughout the year.

Every Sunday at 9:30 AM, you can also participate in wellness programs such as Yoga, Tai Chi, and Zumba at the Vizcaya Village Farmers Market.