Uncovering Ca' d'Zan -- Private Spaces Tour

Ca' d'Zan

John Ringling is one of the most significant figures in Sarasota's history. After all, Ringling's decision to move the winter headquarters of his circus to Sarasota is one reason our city became such a popular destination.

Ringling of course needed a home that equated with his position in society. Friends and colleagues from northern climes would be visiting, and he wanted to entertain them in style. And so he built Ca' d'Zan or "the House of John." (It was also the House of Mabel, but she was just the wife. Fun fact: Ringling listed his occupation on their marriage certificate as "capitalist." But I digress.) 

The 36,000 square foot Mediterranean Revival-style home has 56 rooms, including a ballroom and a solarium. There's an elevator for people who couldn't climb the stairs and an intercom system through which the Ringlings and their guests could alert staff to their needs. (Cue the music for "Downton Abbey.") The estate sits on Sarasota Bay, all the better for guests who wanted to arrive by water. 

This wasn't my first visit to Ca' d'Zan. Many years ago, I went on a tour of the mansion's public spaces. Surprise, surprise, but my favorite part of the tour was seeing the art. Dancing couples from around the world are featured on the ceiling of the ballroom, compliments of artist Willy Pogany. For a great video of the works, click here. The Private Spaces tour allows visitors to see some of the rooms on the upper floors of the mansion, including a "play room" that features Pogany's work on both the ceiling and the columns. 

For this project, Pogany created works depicting a Venetian carnival. This whimsical painting of John and Mabel can be seen on the ceiling. It made me wonder if John played the guitar. The answer is yes! (Actually, it was a bass viol, which explains the smallish size of the instrument.) Before the days of the circus, John and four of his brothers toured as a vaudeville show. Who knew? For more fun facts about Ringling, click here. Now back to our tour.  

Notwithstanding the fact that Ca' d'Zan was built smack dab in the middle of Prohibition, the home featured a taproom where John could share his private label bourbon with guests. The room wasn't original to Ca' d'Zan. When dining at the Cicardi Winter Garden Restaurant in St. Louis, Ringling was taken with the setting. "Ah," he thought. "This would be perfect for my new home in Florida." So he bought the room lock, stock and barrel, had it dismantled, put on a train and reinstalled in Ca' d'Zan. I suspect many a business deal was done there. 

Per the title of the tour, we also tromped through some of the more private spaces in the house. John's bedroom overlooked the Bay while Mabel's had a view of her rose garden. Perhaps not surprisingly, the word "comfortable" does not came to mind. I imagined myself lying on one of the beds ramrod straight so as not to muss the covers. If you click here for a picture of John's bedroom, you'll see what I mean. The painting at which he gazed when having trouble sleeping is "Dawn Driving Away the Darkness" by Jacob de Wit. The title makes me wonder what demons Ringling contemplated during the night. 

While very glitzy, the bathrooms are not what I would call inviting. I can only imagine how cold those marble floors could get. (We do get some chilly weather here, after all.) 

Each bathtub was carved from a single piece of marble and featured four faucets. Bathers could choose hot or cold fresh or salt water. In case you're wondering, the benefits of soaking in salt water include relief from soreness and lower stress levels. The mansion also had an exercise room that featured a massage table and a Vibrating Belt Machine. (Think "I Love Lucy.") Perhaps John enjoyed a cold salt water plunge after his work out. 

I'll leave you with a view from Belvedere Tower, the crowning glory of Ca' d'Zan. Ringling claimed that the best view of Sarasota from his 81' tower. (Not coincidentally, "Belvedere" means "beautiful view" in Italian.) Today many buildings here offer similar vistas, but it's still quite impressive. 

Once again, I neglected to ask the question that came to mind when I looked at my pictures. Why are there sculptures of squirrels on the cupolas? Was it just a random choice of the architect? Probably not. A little research (thanks, Google!) revealed that squirrels are typically considered a symbol of abundance, resourcefulness and foresight with a dash of playfulness thrown in for good measure. Another interpretation views them as greedy, likely due to the way they grasp their acorns to their little chests. I suspect that Ringling had a bit of all those traits. 

With that, our time in the Ca' d'Zan's private spaces was over. It was fun to take a peek into the way the Ringlings lived, but I was more than happy to return to my own much cozier abode. For more on Ca' d'Zan, click here. And to book your own tour of these spaces, click here. Happy explorations!