The Breakers, Queen Anne style mansion in Newport, Rhode Island, US.
The Breakers is a large Queen Anne style mansion built on a cliff above the Atlantic Ocean in Newport, Rhode Island. The building has limestone walls, peaked roofs, and round towers, along with wrap-around porches and terraces spread across several levels.
The house was built in 1878 by architects Peabody and Stearns for the Vanderbilt family, at a time when American industrial fortunes were growing fast. The property has since been preserved by the Preservation Society of Newport County, which now manages it as a house museum.
The Breakers draws visitors who want to see how one of America's richest families lived at the height of the Gilded Age. The rooms are filled with hand-carved woodwork, colored glass, and decorated ceilings that reflect the tastes of the Vanderbilt family at that time.
The property is open for tours throughout most of the year, and guided options are available inside the house and around the grounds. Comfortable shoes are a good idea since the visit covers many stairs and a fair amount of walking between rooms and outdoor areas.
Although the building follows the Queen Anne style, its facade combines red brick with pale limestone in a way that is rarely seen in this type of architecture. This contrast came from mixing different building materials, which gives the exterior a look that stands out from other houses of the same period.
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