Tovrea Castle

Tovrea Castle was built between 1928-1930 and sits atop a cactus-covered hill in Phoenix, Arizona. The castle has intrigued many residents and visitors for many generations, there is also a desert garden within the surrounding 44 acres of the castle which has been named Carraro Cactus Garden after the builder of the castle, Alessio Carraro.

The castle underwent a massive restoration in recent years and there are constant efforts to keep the cactus garden in a pristine state. The castle is a Phoenix Point of Pride and was listed on the City Historic Property Registry in 1990 and the National Register of Historic Places in 1996.

The castle was built by Italian immigrant Alessio Carraro when he was searching for his American dream. Allesio and his son shaped the land into a spectacular desert paradise and built the wedding cake-shaped castle which is reminiscent of his Italian homeland.

The castle was purchased by the City of Phoenix in 1993 to preserve the site for future use. The staff from the Phoenix Parks and Recreation Department has worked hard to restore the castle and garden which features over 5,000 cacti in over 100 varieties.

Unfortunately due to budget restrictions, no tours of the castle and garden are being held. The city is hoping that community partners will help to make these tours available again in the very near future.