Atlanta History Center

Swan’s Sister?

Rhodes Mansion, Atlanta                            Swan House, Atlanta

Have you ever driven down West Paces Ferry and passed the Rhodes Mansion? Did you notice how similar it is to Swan House? If you did, you’re not alone. People often comment on how similar the mansions are, and ask who designed them, who lived in them, and which one was built first.

Scuola dei Tiraoro e Battiloro, Rome           Rhodes Mansion, Atlanta

Lets begin with the Rhodes Mansion (locally known as the Pink Palace). Completed in 1926, the house was designed by Atlanta architects Neel Reid and Philip Shutze. Built for the Joseph D. Rhodes family (of Rhodes Furniture), the six-bedroom mansion was styled after a small building in Venice, Italy, named the Scuola dei Tiraoro e Battiloro (pictured above, left).

Fountains at Villa Corsini, Rome                  Fountains at Swan House, Atlanta

Swan House, completed in 1928, was also designed by Atlanta architect Philip Shutze. Built for the Edward H. Inman family (heirs to a cotton brokerage fortune), the mansion was styled after historic Italian structures Shutze studied while overseas, including the fountains at Villa Corsini in Rome.

So next time you see these grand Atlanta mansions, remember that while they are just a few miles apart, and are very similar, they have much more in common with buildings 5,000 miles away!

For more information about Swan House, click here.