History 

Oliver Hazard Perry Belmont

Unique among the mansions of Newport, this Louis XIII style castle is home to an extensive collection of art and antiques spanning diverse cultures and centuries. The collection includes 13th century European stained glass, 10th to 20thcentury furniture from around the world, 17th to 20thcentury paintings, Renaissance armor, and a gold coronation coach. The sixty-room castle was designed by Richard Morris Hunt, "the Dean of American architects," as a summer cottage for Oliver Hazard Perry Belmont. It was built between 1891 and 1894. Three hundred skilled European craftsmen were employed in the construction. Belmont had inherited 60 million dollars from his father, August Belmont, the Rothschild Banking representative in

America, and spent 3 million building Belcourt. The castle was designed as a bachelor residence, with the entire first floor devoted to Oliver's beloved horses and collection of carriages. The mansion held a single bedroom and bathroom, for Oliver himself; no guestrooms. There was also no kitchen included in the original plan. There were, however, sleeping quarters for thirty full-time servants located above luxurious stallsaccommodating thirty of the owner's prize coaching horses.

The master bedroom today boasts its original architectural and decorative features, including hand-painted canvas wall coverings depicting the life of a tenth century Frankish nobleman, a medieval-style open fireplace, beautiful grisaille stained glass, corbels carved with mythological figures, the molded hand painted and gilded ceiling, and handsome brass wall sconces. The master bathroom remains intact, with its elaborate shower and other original fixtures.

Alva Erskine Smith Belmont

 The hostess for Belcourt's opening ball in 1895 was Alva Erskine Smith Vanderbilt, wife of Oliver's best friend and business partner, William Kissam Vanderbilt. In that same year, Alva divorced Vanderbilt. In 1896 Alva Vanderbilt became Mrs. Belmont, taking up summer residence as lady of the castle, favoring Belcourt over Marble House, her 11-million-dollar thirty-ninth birthday gift from Mr. Vanderbilt.