The Venetian Pool in Coral Gables is a Unique Historic Attraction

The Venetian Pool of Coral Gables is a one-of-a-kind public pool located southwest of Miami, fashioned from what was once a quarry pit that had been mined for limestone.

The only swimming pool on the National Register of Historic Places, plans for the building of this pool were inaugurated in 1921 by George Merrick, who is considered the founding father of Coral Gables, which is an affluent suburb of Miami. With the help of his artist uncle Denman Fink and local architect Phineas Paist, Merrick converted what he considered an eyesore to one of the world's most ornate public swimming facilities. The project was completed in 1924, originally called the Venetian Casino, and for decades - in additional to it being a swimming pool - the attraction hosted concerts, dances, and gala parties to which some of the country's most well-known celebrities were invited.

The Venetian Pool still attracts approximately 100,000 visitors a year. Nestled in the midst of a residential development in this upscale suburb, guests come to swim in the pool's 820,000 gallons of cool spring water. Until the 1980s, the pool was drained nightly during the busiest summer months and refilled each day via its artesian wells, but is now replenished with water from these same subterranean aquifers that flow beneath it and can be recycled via natural ground filtration in order to conserve natural resources. The result, however, is the same - clean, fresh water each day.

The pool includes a number of unique features. Swimmers can make their way through grottos and coral caves or can enjoy standing under waterfalls both large and small. The Venetian Pool is surrounded by open-air loggias and attractive porticos and includes a small palm-filled island, a sandy beach, and a picturesque cobblestone bridge. A poolside caf, serves light fare including pizza, hot dogs, sodas, ice cream, and other snacks and beverages. Patrons may enjoy the view while they eat.

Just like any public swimming pool, the Venetian Pool offers swimming lessons for all ages, lifeguard training courses, and SCUBA certification classes during the hours when the pool is not open to the public for swimming. The pool is always manned by lifeguards so that it is safe for swimmers and non-swimmers of all ages.

Seasonal or yearly memberships to the Venetian Pool are not available. Rather, visitors pay a fee on a daily basis, which allows access to the pool during its regular business hours on that particular day. Men's and women's bathrooms and locker rooms are available for use as are outdoor showers. More than $1 million dollars was spent during the winter of 2009 to upgrade many of the facilities to make them ADA compliant for users with disabilities. Funds were also spent to repair the pool deck and the pool itself.