William Randolph Hearst , the man behind Hearst Castle , is an important figure from the twentieth century whose influence extended to publishing , politics , Hollywood , the art world and everyday American life . His power and vision allowed him to pursue one of the most ambitious architectural endeavors in American History , the result of which can be seen in magnificent grounds and structures of Hearst Castle . Hearst was born on April , 29 , 1863 , in San Francisco California , as the only child of George and Phoebe Hearst . At the age of ten , Hearst and his mother toured Europe , gathering ideas & inspiration from the grandeur and scale of castles , art & history . This experience fueled Hearst’s life long aspiration to recreate this majesty for his own enjoyment .
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