Ca d’Zan Tops Off a Florida Beach Vacation

Visitors to Longboat Key Club & Resort are often directed to one of the biggest attractions in Sarasota – a sight that makes a Florida beach vacation complete. The terra cotta palazzo glimmers in the light off Sarasota Bay, a magical vision rising at the end of a long drive lined with royal palms and banyan trees.

Ca d'Zan, John Nicholas Ringling called it – “House of John” in Venetian dialect.

A Mediterranean Revival mansion in Sarasota, Florida, Ca d'Zan was the dream home of circus magnate and business entrepreneur, John Ringling and his wife, Mable. What began as a Florida beach vacation became their life, their home. It was one of many dreams realized by a great dreamer, and touring this magnificent mansion is a dream for anyone taking a Florida beach vacation..

The Ringlings chose the site overlooking the Gulf of Mexico for its view, which reminded them of the lagoon of their favorite city – Venice, Italy. And for those enjoying a Florida beach vacation, it is truly a site to see!

Ca d'Zan was built between 1924 and 1925 at a cost of $1.5 million ($15.8 million today) in the Venetian Gothic style. The exterior was covered with a colorful mix of glazed tiles, mosaics, stained-glass windows and cast stone. Another $400,000 was spent to pack its interior with magnificent furnishings – the furniture in the bedroom is modeled on a suite from the home of French emperor Napoleon and his wife Josephine – and decorative objects from the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries. From the priceless tapestries to the custom-made Steinway grand piano, the great showman put on a grand show…and that show is still going on for those who want to experience it as part of their Florida beach vacation.

The man behind the Greatest Show on Earth created one of the greatest showplaces of all time with all the splash and spirit of the circus.

It is one of Ringling's dreams that did not die with him – and it is a must-see for every Florida beach vacation.

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