Last week, fans of one of Hollywood’s most popular actresses woke up to bad news: Marilyn Monroe’s house in Los Angeles was slated for demolition. The suspicion that something like this could happen was more than confirmed: the house was sold in July and on Google Maps you could already see that numerous roof tiles were missing. According to The Post, the new owner of this historic Brentwood property, 12305 Fifth Helena Drive, in an exclusive neighborhood of Los Angeles, has applied for a permit to demolish the property. It is a place of great sentimental value for all fans and one of those enclaves that feeds Hollywood mythomania, since it is the first home she owned and where the actress’s lifeless body was discovered in August 1962.
This is what the actress’s house looked like on the day of her death in 1962.
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Marilyn Monroe’s house in 2017.
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The house, a Spanish style hacienda It has a single floor of 270 square metersa citrus orchard with grass and a kidney-shaped pool. Built in 1929, features four bedrooms, three bathrooms and a host of original architectural features. However, it has undergone major reforms over the years, passing through the hands of various owners (the most famous being Ana Nicole Smith, a Marilyn Monroe fan who also died young and became famous for her impersonation). Among the changes that the house has undergone, the most notable is the reform of the kitchen, which changed the original layout and moved it to the center of the house, since a skylight was added to the roof. The bathroom in the room where Marilyn was found dead also had counters added by remodeling the manifold leading to the bedrooms. Nonetheless, The house still has many original detailslike the vaulted ceilings and the door frames in the shape of a pointed arch, the exposed wood of the beams, the tiles that surround the fireplace in the living room (a few months before her death, the actress traveled to Mexico to buy them). Furniture and materials used to decorate the house, loaded with handmade tiles, chairs, tables and star-shaped lamps) and the terracotta floor.
The living room of Marilyn Monroe’s house with furniture and decorations that she bought in Mexico, such as the coffee table or the tiles that adorn the fireplace. The wood paneled wall or carpet has not been maintained.
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In the living room of the actress’ house, some elements have been preserved, such as the terracotta floor, the exposed beams or the pointed arches of the doors.
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Marilyn Monroe bought this house in February 1962, half a year before his death, for a little more than 72,000 euros (today’s equivalent would be around 732,000 euros), but the value of the house far exceeds a current estimate. According to real estate portal Redfin, the last sale took place last July and the latest news about the purchase has alarmed the actress’s followers ever since The current owner has requested the complete demolition of the property. To the surprise of many, on September 5, the Los Angeles Department of Construction and Safety gave the green light for a “review of plans,” marking the beginning of the demolition process of this iconic home.
Aerial view of the house, guest house and garden.
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Though formal approval for the demolition has not yet been granted, Marilyn Monroe fans were quick to respond: They deluged the Los Angeles City Council with demands for those permits to be suspended, and when we say “deluged,” we do refer to thousands of calls since last Wednesday. The wave of protests had an effect, because An emergency motion was passed unanimously to halt the process and the City Council itself has requested that the house be designated a Site of Historic Interest. Marilyn Monroe’s fan clubs had been calling for this measure for years, but they were never heeded (note that other celebrity houses, such as the Pink Palace in… Jayne Mansfield were previously shot down).
The kitchen is one of the rooms that has undergone the most changes and relocations. Nothing remains of the original.
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This has been the case so far, as the following official notice can be seen on the door of the house: “On September 8, 2023, the Los Angeles City Council accepted a motion to open the designation of the property at 12035 W 5th Helena Drive as a historic-cultural monument. In accordance with the Monument Protection Ordinance, the measure will definitely trigger a temporary suspension of all building permits while the matter is considered by the Monument Protection Commission and the city council. In addition, the property may not be demolished or significantly altered, regardless of whether a permit has been obtained or not. “The Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety has determined that the permits were issued in error and intends to revoke them.”
The front door has recently been remodeled.
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View of the house from the entrance to the garage.
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Marilyn Monroe’s house meets all the requirements for designation as a historic-cultural monument: The property is more than 50 years old and is linked to the history of the nation and the life of a person relevant to the country’s culture. Fans say the house is “her Graceland,” referring to the home of Elvis Presley, which received this award in the early 1980s and is the most visited house in the world after the White House. It seems we don’t have to say goodbye to the tiles bearing the inscription “Cursum Perficio”, a coat of arms that adorns the main entrance to the property and means “My journey ends here” in Latin. The truth is that the memory of the actress is still alive and her house, a place of vital importance for her followers, seems to continue its journey through time.
The tiles in the entryway of the house are preserved exactly as they were when the actress lived in the house.
House and history
Marilyn Monroe at her home in July 1962.
Courtesy of Ferragamo/Alan Grant
Alejandra Manzano is an expert in architecture, art and design. Before finding his favorite job, he gained 15 years of experience in editorial, art direction, advertising and cultural communication. As a Fine Arts graduate, she has always been drawn to the beauty of objects and spaces, as well as people with creative minds. She has worked as a press illustrator at El Mundo and at ICON and, after completing her training in editing and proofreading, worked as an art and photo book coordinator at La Fábrica and at festivals such as the Madrid Design Festival or PHotoEspaña. Always looking for houses and beautiful things, he has collaborated with numerous media specializing in interior design and decoration such as AD, Arquitectura y Diseño and Diariodesign.