The name "Vizcaya" means "an elevated place" in the Basque vernacular. In its case, the word perfectly describes the complex's quality.

Inside, 34 of the 70 rooms are filled with 15th- through 19th-century antiques and decorative arts collected during Deering's various European trips. There are 10 acres of formal gardens with sloping terraces, reflecting pools and a view of Biscayne Bay. The elaborate buildings served as the prototype for much of South Florida's residential and commercial architecture during the decades that followed its construction.

Physically, the house is arranged around a central courtyard in the fashion of a 16th-century villa. Inside, the reception room, styled after a Rococo salon, illustrates how the diverse furnishings and other elements merge.

The 18th-century plaster ceiling came from the Rossi Palace in Venice, while the richly carved, painted and lacquered wall panels were brought from a palace near Palermo, Italy. The room is lighted by an 18-cenutry Venetian chandelier and the French furniture of the Louis XV period stand on an 18th-century needlework rug. Similar effects are seen in other rooms.

Vizcaya, in north Coconut Grove, is open daily. For information, call (305) 250-9133.