The ornate Mediterranean Revival mansion on Ocean Drive, modelled after the Alcázar de Colón in Santo Domingo, was built in 1930 and became internationally known as the Versace Mansion after fashion designer Gianni Versace bought it in 1992. Versace spent $33 million renovating and expanding the property, adding a south wing, a mosaic-tiled swimming pool lined with 24-karat gold, and lush gardens hidden behind the coral rock facade.
The house is now a boutique hotel called The Villa Casa Casuarina. Non-guests can dine at the restaurant by the pool or have a drink at the bar, which is the easiest way to see the interior and the extraordinary pool. From the outside, the building is unmissable — it is one of the most distinctive facades on Ocean Drive, and there is usually someone taking a photograph of the front steps.
story: > On the morning of July 15, 1997, Gianni Versace was shot and killed on the front steps of the mansion by Andrew Cunanan, ending a cross-country killing spree. The steps have become an unofficial landmark, and the house's notoriety has only grown in the years since.