Neptune Pool

Neptune Pool and Roman Temple facade.

The Neptune Pool is an outdoor swimming pool ensemble at Hearst Castle, in San Simeon, California. As well as a large swimming pool, the terrace also includes fountains, ornamental pools, sculptures, marble pavilions, alabaster lanterns, dressing rooms, and a mainly reconstructed ancient temple facade.

The Neptune Terrace, including its huge pool shell, are raised up behind massive retaining walls on the Hearst Castle ridge-line in the Santa Lucia Mountains. It is to the north and lower than the main Casa Grande and the guest house terrace, with vistas of the ranch, Point San Simeon coastline, and Pacific Ocean.

In 2014, the pool was drained due to severe drought conditions in Southern California. The pool had been leaking and evaporating 5,000 US gallons (19,000 L; 4,200 imp gal) of water per day.[1] Extensive renovations began in 2017 to completely replace the pool's tile base and fix the leaks which had plagued it since its construction. The pool was temporarily filled for the first time since 2014 that August to make sure the leaks had been repaired before the water was subsequently returned to the local watershed.[2][3] In August, 2018 the pool restoration was completed and the pool was refilled.[4] In 2019, the pool was opened to the public by purchasing tickets with donations which helps fund the castle's art conservation and education programs.[5] The castle was closed to visitors in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[6]

  1. ^ Lieu, Amy (2 July 2014). "Drought Prompts Hearst Castle to Close Restrooms, Drain Pool". KCET.
  2. ^ Fitz Randolph, John (3 June 2017). "Hearst Castle's Neptune Pool gets a makeover worthy of a Greek god". San Luis Obispo Tribune. Retrieved 19 July 2023.
  3. ^ "Hearst Castle's Neptune Pool is refilled to test repairs | The Tribune". Archived from the original on 2017-08-05.
  4. ^ Forgione, Mary (16 August 2018). "Hearst Castle's famed Neptune Pool refilled after four-year renovation". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2018-09-19.
  5. ^ "You Can Finally Swim in the Hearst Castle Pools". Architectural Digest. 2019-07-01. Retrieved 2021-11-10.
  6. ^ "COVID home improvement comes to California's most famous mansion". Los Angeles Times. 2020-10-16. Retrieved 2021-11-10.