The Gilded Age Opulence of The Breakers

I recently visited The Breakers in Newport, Rhode Island and was awestruck by the wealth of the Vanderbilts during the Gilded Age. The mansion is a symbol of unprecedented luxury with its ornate rooms, marble floors, and gold leaf details. The opulence is truly staggering -I have never seen anything like it in my previous travels. The mansion was built in 1895 by Cornelius Vanderbilt II and is now owned by the Preservation Society of Newport County. I explored each room and admired the artwork, tapestries, and furnishings, all of which are original to the house. At the same time, I couldn't help but compare its grandeur to the depth of poverty and devastation I've seen elsewhere on Earth.