The Breakers

The Breakers in Newport

The Breakers entrance

View over the garden

The Breakers is a former summer mansion in Newport , Rhode Island, USA .

The building is Newport's largest private residence and was built from 1893 to 1895 for around seven million dollars for Cornelius Vanderbilt II , grandson of Cornelius Vanderbilt , on the site of a previous family building that had burned down. The architect was Richard Morris Hunt , who had also built the mansion on Fifth Avenue in New York City for Cornelius Vanderbilt II and the Marble House in Newport for his brother William K. Vanderbilt .

Located in the middle of a 13 acre park at Ocher Point on the shores of the Atlantic , the three-story property was built in the style of a Renaissance villa based on the model of Genoese palaces. It is 76 meters long, 46 meters wide and has 70 rooms, 33 of which served as utility rooms and staff rooms. Hunt used as a building material limestone from Indiana , he laid the floors with marble , brick , terrazzo and mosaic. Since the original house was destroyed in a fire, the new building should be as fireproof as possible. In addition, the client attached great importance to having the latest developments in building technology available. The Breakers was one of the first private homes to be fitted with electricity and an elevator . In the bathrooms you could choose between fresh and sea water, both warm or cold. The exclusive interior was designed by Jules Allard and Sons and Ogden Codman Jr. and has been preserved in its original condition.

The Breakers has been listed as a building on the National Register of Historic Places since September 1971 . In October 1994, it was granted National Historic Landmark status. The house is now owned and toured by the Preservation Society of Newport County .