Phoenix landmark finally open to public

A Phoenix landmark opens for public tours Saturday -- but if you don’t have tickets already, you’ll probably have to wait a while.

Tovrea Castle at Carraro Heights sits near Van Buren and 52nd Streets. Built in 1930 by an Italian immigrant and purchased just two years later by a wealthy meatpacker, the building has been uninhabited for more than 40 years. The City of Phoenix bought the property in 1993, and an effort to restore the house and grounds has been slowly moving along ever since.

Last year, the city agreed to let the non-profit Tovrea Carraro Society run the castle. Saturday marks the first tour of the house open to the general public. For now, there will be one tour a day on Saturdays and Sundays.

But, unless you’ve got your ticket or you get lucky as a walk-in, you’ll have to wait a few weeks to take a tour. They’re booked solid through the end of April. Eventually, the society hopes to expand tours to weekdays.