Vanderbilt family's The Breakers mansion showcased in Newport

The Breakers, a massive 12,848-square-meter mansion in Newport, Rhode Island, stands as a symbol of the Vanderbilt family's immense wealth during the Gilded Age. Built by Cornelius Vanderbilt II, the grandson of railroad tycoon Cornelius Vanderbilt, the estate served as a summer residence for his wife, Alice Vanderbilt, and their seven children.

Designed by architect Richard Morris Hunt in the Renaissance style, the mansion features 70 rooms adorned with gold-plated items, intricate mosaics, and elaborate painted ceilings. The architecture includes a grand hall inspired by the Paris Opera House and dining rooms featuring modern technologies of the era, such as electric crystal chandeliers.

To honor the family's industrial roots, decorative elements throughout the estate reference their steamship and railroad businesses. Today, the historic estate operates as a museum open to the public.