Ca' d'Zan Mansion

The home of the circus king and his wife, a couple from humble mid-western origins, Ca’ d’Zan stands as a testament to the American Dream of the Roaring Twenties. Inspired by and designed in the Venetian Gothic style of the palazzos that ring the Venice canals, this dazzling palatial mansion perfectly captures the splendor and romance of the Italy the Ringlings so loved. To honor its owner, they named it Ca’ d’Zan, “House of John”, in the dialect of their beloved Venice. John and Mable Ringling's Majestic home sitting on Sarasota Bay.The Ca' d'Zan mansion was constructed in 1924 and restored in 2002. In 1997 the film "Great Expectations" was shot on the grounds and inside the mansion.  Directed by Alfonso Cuarón and stared Ethan Hawke, Gwyneth Paltrow, Robert De Niro and Anne Bancroft.  In 1924, construction began on Ca' d’Zan, which means “House of John” in Venetian dialect. The house was completed just before Christmas 1925, at a cost of $1.5 million.John and Mable Ringling greatly admired the unique architectural style of the Danieli and the Bauer-Grunwald hotels in Venice, as well as the palaces that face the Venetian canals. This architectural style, called "Venetian Gothic," greatly influenced the Ca' d'Zan's design, which architect Dwight James Baum and builder Owen Burns helped bring to Sarasota for the Ringlings.Mable Ringling had an oilskin portfolio filled with postcards, sketches, photos and other materials that she gathered on her travels to aid the architect with his design.