Architectural Splendor & Preservation: Step inside one of NYC’s last Italianate country homes—now a landmark on the National Register—featuring restored stucco, Ludovici tiles, Juliet balconies, and sweeping terraces, all saved from demolition after a 15-year restoration
The Stirn Family Legacy: Discover the extraordinary story of Laura Roebling-Stirn—granddaughter of Brooklyn Bridge engineer John Roebling, suffragist, Staten Island Bird Club member, and curator of elaborate multi-tiered gardens filled with rare plants
Signal Hill History: Unearth the Revolutionary War history of this area and learn how it transformed into one of Staten Island’s most prestigious enclaves, attracting wealthy families who built grand estates
Grymes Hill High Society: Step back into the early 1900s, when the Stirn’s and their neighbors—the Vanderbilts, Cunard’s, Horrmann’s, and Dreyfus’s—established an elite community above New York Harbor
A Cultural Renaissance: Experience Casa Belvedere's rebirth as a vibrant cultural hub, home to a beloved cultural institution and the Enrico Caruso Gallery, where visitors can explore rare photographs, listen to an original recording, and see authentic Caruso memorabilia—including a Metropolitan Opera costume from the world’s first superstar tenor
Unparalleled Views: Take in sweeping panoramas of New York City’s Harbor and the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge from the mansion’s iconic terraces
⭐ Open exclusively to members at the Insider tier or higher!
Step back into 1908 and explore the grandeur of the Louis A. and Laura Roebling-Stirn Mansion, an Italianate jewel and rare survivor of New York’s early 20th-century country house era!
Once a private Gilded Age estate, the home has been meticulously restored and reimagined as Casa Belvedere—a vibrant cultural landmark. On this guided tour, guests will discover original architectural details, hear the story of Laura Roebling-Stirn’s distinguished family lineage—her grandfather John Roebling designed the Brooklyn Bridge—and learn how she and her husband Louis shaped civic life, women’s suffrage, and horticulture with their celebrated gardens of rare and exotic plants.
Visitors will conclude in Casa Belvedere’s new Enrico Caruso Gallery, where music, memorabilia, and storytelling bring the legendary tenor’s artistry to life—an inspiring finale that deepens appreciation for opera and the cultural richness preserved within these walls.
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A virtual version of this tour will be share in our video archive!
About Your Guides - Gina Biancardi & Lou Barrella:
Gina Biancardi is the founder and president of The Italian Cultural Foundation at Casa Belvedere in Staten Island, N.Y. In 2009, she purchased the historic 1908 Stirn Mansion, then on the brink of collapse, and led a 15-year, $5 million effort to restore it and transform it into a vibrant cultural hub. She built Casa Belvedere into a thriving institution that now welcomes more than 25,000 visitors annually for cooking and language classes, concerts, film nights, art exhibits, and its signature Italian Festival. Under her leadership, Casa Belvedere has become a model of nonprofit sustainability through innovative initiatives such as The Belvedere Club, and it continues to expand with plans for an educational vineyard, hydroponic teaching garden, and pavilion overlooking New York Harbor.
Lou Barrella is a distinguished opera educator and lecturer with more than 50 years of experience, including four decades with the Metropolitan Opera’s Education Department. He has delivered over 750 presentations at colleges, museums, and cultural institutions, including Casa Belvedere. Lou served on the Board of the Enrico Caruso Museum and remains an active presence in numerous opera organizations.
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