Tovrea Castle at Carraro Heights: A Phoenix hidden gem
Tickets for Tovrea Castle tours are famously hard to obtain. Here’s an inside look at the Phoenix architectural marvel.
Carly Bowling, Arizona Republic
- Two historic structures at Phoenix’s Tovrea Castle have been rebuilt after being destroyed in a 2015 storm.
- The rebuilt Carraro Cottage and Caretakers’ House predate the castle itself, dating back to 1907.
- Public tours of Tovrea Castle are available, with tickets obtained through a lottery system.
Tovrea Castle, already one of Phoenix’s most unique landmarks, has just become a little richer in history.
On Sept. 18, the Tovrea Carraro Society cut the ribbon on the newly rebuilt Carraro Cottage and Caretakers’ House, two structures that were lost to a monsoon microburst in 2015.
These weren’t just outbuildings; they were the oldest pieces of property, predating the castle itself. The Caretakers’ House once belonged to the Warners, homesteaders who lived on the land before the castle ever stood there. At the same time, the Carraro Cottage housed Alessio Carraro, the man who dreamed up the “Wedding Cake Castle,” and his son during construction.
The site already requires constant preservation and re-creating them, according to the society president, Tamera Zivic, is like stepping back to 1907, adding a deeper layer to the story visitors experience today.
Is Tovrea Castle open to the public?
Yes, Tovrea Castle is open to the public. While visitors can’t enter the new structures yet, you can take a 90-minute tour of the castle.
Tour tickets for Tovrea Castle cost $22 per person, with children 2 years and under admitted free. To get tickets, you must enter a lottery between Oct. 1-15 for spring 2026 at tovreacastletours.com by clicking the “open” lottery graphic. You’ll submit your name and contact information, then select up to three preferred dates, Fridays-Sundays. You can request up to four tickets.
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