These five celebrity swimming pools have a permanent place in history – dive into the most iconic yards of the last century

Along with stone fruit and sunny days, swimming in pools is one of the great joys of summer. It is even more pleasurable if the pool is in one's backyard, rather than having to venture out. Naturally, celebrities boast some of the most interesting (and glamorous) pools outside their own homes, giving us plenty of inspiration and aspiration to last a whole summer.

Below, we have rounded up some of the most exquisite celeb pools throughout history, from Old Hollywood gems to Olympic-sized, modern classics.

1. Playboy Mansion swimming pool

The Playboy Mansion was notorious for its wild parties, and it's no secret that many of these celebrations took place by the pool. The 'grotto' as it was referred to was built in conjunction with the mansion in 1973 and became a staple for Playboy founder Hugh Heffner's gatherings.

The stone-lay exterior contributes to the lagoon feel of the pool, and to this day is a popular material choice for many pool-owners. In the image above, we can see Heffner in a guest spot for The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, sitting at a patio table within view of the marvelous swimming grotto.

2. Rick Ross' Promise Land pool

Rapper Rick Ross' storied mansion, Promise Land, is a sight to behold. The Atlanta property features 109 rooms, but one of the main attractions of the spectacular home is the pool. In fact, Ross often hosts an annual car show and pool party that is open to the public – and we can see why.

The pool holds a whopping 350,000 gallons of water, making it the largest residential swimming pool in the United States (while the property itself is one of the largest in Georgia). While it may not be the most practical for lap-swimmers, it certainly works wonders for large group hosting.

3. Marilyn Monroe's Brentwood backyard

Marilyn Monroe's Brentwood home is the stuff of legend. The Hacienda-style home is where the Hollywood icon spent her last years, and since her tragic death in 1962, it has been a subject of fascination among fans (and has been saved from demolition just last year).

We can really see the Spanish influence on the California home's pool. Surrounded by lush trees and set behind the terracotta roofed home, the pool has a wavy shape and paradise-like atmosphere. If pools could talk...

4. Jayne Mansfield's heart-shaped pool

Valentine's Day is often when we see heart-shaped objects making the rounds, but Jayne Mansfield decided that her pool should honour cupid's ethos all year round.

The actor, model, and Playboy Playmate is seen here posing in 1961 in front of her magnificent pool, and we can't help but admire the details. While the image is in black-and-white, the heart-shaped pool and the fence surrounding it are colored pink, with ten statues of women surrounding it (and acting as fountains with the ability to spurt out water). The best Easter egg? There is a tiled mosaic at the bottom spelling out 'I love you, Jayne,' – an homage from her husband, Mickey Hargitay.

5. Frank Sinatra's Palm Springs pool

Frank Sinatra is one of the greatest crooners of our time, but even the celebrated musician liked to kick back and relax by the pool.

The Fly Me To The Moon singer spent much of his time at the Twin Palms, or what is now known as the Frank Sinatra estate: a mid-century modern residence in Palm Springs. Location is everything, as we can see in a photo of his pool. Backed by mountains, the spacious swimming area is ideal for a summer dip.

What better poolside read than a guide to (yet another) one of the most iconic celebrity pools of the last century? This photography book looks just as good on a coffee table as it does beside our sun lounger.