Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
THE CORAL CASTLE OF MANY NAMES
On a street full of fairly opulent buildings, 1114 Ocean Dr, a cream-colored Mediterranean-
revival castle built of hewn coral and exposed timber that could rightly be the center set
piece of a Pirates of the Caribbeanmovie, stands out. The three-story palace, built in the
1930s, was modeled after the Governor's House in Santo Domingo, where Christopher
Columbus' son once laid his head. For years it was known as the
Amsterdam Palace
-
until one day, in the early 1980s, it caught the eye of a certain fashion designer named Gi-
anni Versace. Versace bought the property, renamed it the
Versace Mansion
and
promptly locked horns with local preservationists after announcing plans to tear down a
neighboring hotel so he could build a pool. After a battle, the moneyed designer won -
but also struck a deal that would allow for law changes, saving more than 200 other his-
toric hotels in the process.
None of it mattered in 1997, when stalker Andrew Cunanan gunned Versace down in
front of the beloved mansion. For years after, the house was known as
Casa Casuarina
and operated as a members-only club. Currently it is the site of
The Villa by Barton G
hotel. Ironically, the death of a European fashion guru here has attracted lots of, well,
European fashion gurus. Tourists still shuffle by, armed with morbid curiosity and a thirst
for celebrity-related photos of any kind.
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Sights
Miami's major sights aren't concentrated in one neighborhood. The most frequently vis-
ited area is South Beach, home to hot nightlife, beautiful beaches and art-deco hotels, but
you'll find historic sites and museums downtown, art galleries in Wynwood and the
Design District, old-fashioned hotels and eateries in Mid-Beach (in Miami Beach), more
beaches on Key Biscayne, and peaceful neighborhood attractions in Coral Gables and Co-
conut Grove.
Water and income - canals, bays and bank accounts - are the geographic and social
boundaries that divide Miami. Of course, the great water that divides here is Biscayne Bay,
holding the city of Miami apart from its preening sibling Miami Beach (along with the fine
feathers of South Beach). Don't forget, as many do, that Miami Beach is not Miami's
beach, but its own distinct town.
