Marble House

Marble House is one of the grandest of the many Newport Mansions. It's a must-not-miss among the Victorian summer "cottages" of the nation's Gilded Age. Belonging to William and Alva Vanderbilt, this palatial structure was patterned after the palace of Versailles, with marble and gold used throughout the home. In its day, it cost $11 million to design, build and outfit. Vanderbilt made his fortune through steam shipping and railroading, and he chose to spend part of his wealth on this home as a 39th birthday present for his wife who promptly divorced him four years later.