Balconies and Stained-Glass

Captivating views of the twin 36-foot-domed cupola Cameo Pavilions...

The North and South Cameo Pavilions (Gardens)

High atop George C. Boldt’s ingenious masterpiece sat two exquisite chambre’s… In 1912 during the construction of the Roof Garden two enormous and cavernous interiors were built and furnished, the North and South Cameo Rooms. Both built with 36 foot ceilings that were crowned with cupolas and in dome shapes and beautiful stained-glass ocular domes/skylights. The plasterwork was exquisitely executed in bas-relief and ornamentation with alcoves and potted palms in plaster urns and decorated Beaux-Arts cluster lighting setting the mood of both the domed pavilions…

The natural feel of these two spaces was accented more so by incredibly wide and beautiful French glass and paneled sliding doors and windows that exited to four curved and stonework balconies with wrought-iron filigree and bas-relief decoration. Unbridled luxury and elegance with a view of Philadelphia’s then-growing skyline nineteen stories up!

Conventions and banquets, the like were held on and on throughout the many years the Bellevue-Stratford functioned as the hotel she was known to be… Luncheons and beautiful dances were also held up on the Roof Garden… During the Great Depression and also the Laws against the sales and profiting of alcohol (Prohibition) the grandeur of the Roof Garden became steadily unpopular and as the 1940’s and 50’s came and went so did the subtly and elegance of the Roof Garden’s magnificent array of public rooms…

The Second World War saw to the skylights of both Cameo Pavilions being blackened out with tar, to evade air-raids from the Axis powers… The 1980’s saw to the complete remodel of the original blueprint and most of the originally large and sumptuous rooms were split into smaller interiors… The Pavilions though remained largely the same, went from being Founder’s Restaurant (North) and the Ethel Barrymore Tea-Room (South) to the XIX Restaurant and Cafe’ respectfully…

So much has changed…