The Cloisters at Versailles Garden
Statues of historical and mythological figures adorn the finely manicured grounds of this stately formal garden on the eastern end of Paradise Island. Situated on the Ocean Club property just a 15-minute walk from Atlantis Resort, the garden offers visitors a chance to meander up the majestic stepped lawns and through the grounds fringed with aromatic flowers. Guests can stroll amongst the imposing bronze visages of Hercules, Napoleon and Josephine, former U.S. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt and others, explore the columned temple, or stop by a lovely gazebo that overlooks Nassau Harbor.
At the summit of the garden is the gothic stone cloister, the ruins of a reconstructed French monastery. Dating back to the 12th century, the cloister was brought brick by brick from France during the 1920s by newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst. It was not until 1962 that the Augustinian structure was painstakingly reassembled at the request of A&P heir Huntington Hartford.
A popular setting for outdoor events, the Versailles Garden and French Cloister can be booked for private functions. The grounds are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Admission is free. For more information: 242-363-2501
