Newport’s Rosecliff Mansion: Restored for Future Generations

In this installment of ‘Larger Than Life: Architecture Through the Ages,’ Rosecliff was designed after the Grand Trianon at Versailles, near Paris, France.

Showcasing the front of the mansion, this aerial photograph of Rosecliff also shows how the structure was positioned on the property so that the back view overlooks the Atlantic Ocean. Carefully manicured topiary enhances the balanced aesthetic. Hawk Visual, LLC./Courtesy of The Preservation Society of Newport County

Sea views, mild spring and fall weather, and proximity to New York City settled the port city of Newport, Rhode Island, as a gilded-age destination, and one of the most beautiful is Rosecliff Mansion.

Turn-of-the-20th-century architect Stanford White modeled the design for Rosecliff after the Grand Trianon garden retreat of French kings at Versailles, near Paris. Completed in 1902, Rosecliff’s main distinctions among the area’s other grand dwellings are its heart-shaped staircase and the 3,200-square-foot ballroom, considered the largest in Newport.