The Neptune Pool
An amazing Central Coast Pool is perched on a mountaintop overlooking the Pacific Ocean in beautiful California, the Hearst Castle remains one of the world’s most spectacular sites. Among its many magnificent appointments, the Neptune Pool is arguably the most photographed and famous swimming pools in modern history.
I joined Dr. William N. Rowley in mid-December on a sunny day with his colleague and longtime collaborator, Patricia Soto, for a behind-the-scenes tour of the pool and the catacombs beneath it, something the public never sees. Bill and Patricia were there as part of an ongoing effort to renovate portions of the massive pool, which is currently empty.
Bill is uniquely qualified for the work due in part to a prior project he engineered several years ago in Santa Monica, Calif. The project was known as the Marion Davies pool, which was part of a private estate Hearst built for his mistress and longtime companion. The pool and out-building were all that remained of the original estate, designed by Julia Morgan, the architect responsible for Hearst Castle.
Bill took the long-abandoned pool and restored it to its original beauty. The site is now known as the Annenberg Community Beach House and serves as a public park and aquatic center – read more.