Georges de S. Canavarro House

Honolulu, United States

Exterior only

Visible from the street; the inside is private.

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Situated at 2756 Rooke Ave. in Honolulu's Puʻunui area, the Georges de S. Canavarro House, also known as Canavarro Castle, is a Mediterranean Revival estate built between 1924 and 1927 by architect Hart Wood for the son of Portugal's Consul-General to Hawaiʻi. Designed to evoke Sicilian villas, the cross-shaped residence features red-tile roofing, white stucco masonry walls, and a central open courtyard with fountain, all arranged on terraced grounds that descend a steep slope with commanding views of Nuʻuanu Valley and Honolulu harbor. Interior spaces include coffered ceilings, tiled floors, and a library alongside private chambers; the layout separates living quarters uphill from service areas below. Hart Wood was among a group of architects developing island-suited styles, and this house stands as a fine example of the Mediterranean Revival approach adopted for major estates of the era. The property was purchased in 1947 by the Korean Kook Min Hur and later restored in 2002 by the Korean Cultural Center of Hawaii for use as a museum and meeting space. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980.