While driving on Loop 202 near Van Buren Street in Phoenix, a building that looks like a wedding cake on top of a hill may have piqued your interest. You may have seen it dozens of times, but you may not know what it is or the story behind it.
Tovrea Castle is a building that rarely goes unnoticed when you drive past it. You might be intrigued by its shape, its colorful lights at night, or its ancient-looking architecture. But even long-time residents may not know what it actually is and what there is to do there.
We’ve answered your questions. Here’s everything you need to know about Tovrea Castle, a beloved Phoenix landmark with a unique design.
What is the cake shaped building in Phoenix?
Located on Van Buren Street just west of Loop 202, Tovrea Castle is a Phoenix landmark originally built as a resort destination — a project that was never completed. The castle later became a personal residence.
Decades later, the building was purchased and renovated, and opened to the public in 2012.
The castle is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and has been named a Phoenix Point of Pride and Arizona Centennial Legacy Project.
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What is the story behind Tovrea Castle?
Local legend has it that a wealthy man named Edward Ambrose Tovrea built a castle resembling a wedding cake as a gift for his wife, Della Gillespie Tovrea. But to the disappointment of some, the real story may not be so romantic.
According to VisitPhoenix.com, businessman Alessio Carraro, who had amassed a fortune in the sheet metal business, purchased the land in 1928.
Carraro intended to create a resort surrounded by a residential subdivision. He was going to call it Carraro Heights. However, shortly after construction on the hotel began in 1929, the stock market crashed.
Carraro didn’t let that stop him. He completed the hotel in 1931, but the project fell through because almost no one had the money to stay at the luxurious destination, much less buy land. With few options left, he accepted an anonymous offer of $28,500, just one-tenth of what he had invested in the land and hotel.
The buyer was Della Gillespie Tovrea, wife of cattle baron Edward Ambrose Tovrea. According to VisitPhoenix.com, Della had her eye on the hotel as her personal residence long before it went on the market and pounced on it as soon as she saw the opportunity.
Della lived there until her death in 1969. Edward Ambrose only lived there for a year before he died.
Can we visit Tovrea Castle?
Yes, you can visit Tovrea Castle. General admission tickets are $22 and free for children 2 and under, but they are not very easy to get as tours typically sell out months in advance and within 24 hours of going on sale.
Due to high demand for tickets, you must enter a lottery to be eligible to purchase tickets for a regular tour of the castle and its surroundings.
The fall 2024 ticket lottery recently closed, but the spring 2025 lottery was scheduled to open on October 1 and close on October 15, 2024.
Walk-in tickets are very rare but not non-existent, as last-minute tickets for regular tours are sometimes available. They cost $25. You can search for last-minute tickets online at form.jotform.com/220768827702159
To purchase tickets, you can go to TovreaCastleTours.com/castle-tours.
You can also host events on site, but keep in mind that all events are outdoors and there are no modern toilets or running water. Weddings are not allowed on site.
- Address: 5025 E. Van Buren St. in Phoenix
- Phone: 602-256-3221
What can you find at Tovrea Castle?
In the grounds surrounding the castle you can find a machine shop, a pyramid-shaped marker commemorating EA Tovrea, a reflecting pool and a horseshoe pit.
You can also discover a well, a dovecote and a Stockyard restaurant, built by Tovrea’s son so that the farmers would have a place to eat near the stockyards. Just in front of the castle, there is a painted silver bell and the bench of Della Tovrea, which play an important role in its history.
Below the castle, rusty wire enclosures once housed Della’s mastiffs; on the patio, an aviary for his exotic birds still stands.
If you decide to take the tour, the guide will also tell you about the pipe-smoking Russian immigrant who designed the cactus garden and how Carraro’s son, Leo Tovrea, convinced his father that the river stone borders would look better painted white.
Inside the castle, you’ll find a bright structure with plenty of windows and cream-colored walls. Here you can see an exhibit of Della’s dresses and other personal belongings, and explore the many art deco objects and artefacts that surround the house.
