Watching a movie with a plot involving a castle in a far-off place adds a little romanticism to the story. As Americans, we’ve long looked at castles in European countries for this reason and have been fascinated with their story. However, it’s also important to know there are castles in the U.S. you can see up close and personal. The work of some incredible architects and the dreams of a few very wealthy homeowners have ensured you can travel around the country and see some beautiful castles right here at home.
12. Castle in the Clouds
- Location: Moultonborough, New Hampshire
Currently preserved by the Castle Preservation Society, Castle in the Clouds is a 16-room mansion set on a mountaintop in New Hampshire with incredible views of the Ossipee Mountains.
11. Marble House
- Location: Newport, Rhode Island
Marble House is a Gilded Age mansion now listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is an American-style castle built for members of the Vanderbilt family.
10. Thornewood Castle
- Location: Lakewood, Washington
Thornewood Castle, an English-style castle in Washington state, is a 15th-century home that now operates as a bed and breakfast.
9. Hammond Castle
- Location: Gloucester, Massachusetts
Constructed in the 1920s, the 15th-century-style home of John Hays Hammond Jr., who patented technology related to the remote control, now operates as a museum displaying his collection of medieval and renaissance-style artifacts.
8. Searles Castle
- Location: Windham, New Hampshire
Searles Castle is a popular wedding venue with seven towers and a traditional castle stone exterior. As of 2019, the one-time home of Edward Francis Searles in the early 1900s is now an event space.
7. Smithsonian Castle
- Location: Washington, D.C.
A US National Historic Landmark, the gothic-style Smithsonian Castle is located on the National Mall and houses the Smithsonian’s administrative offices, though it’s currently closed for renovation.
6. Grey Towers Castle
- Location: Glenside, Pennsylvania
Situated on the campus of Arcadia University, Grey Towers Castle was purchased from the estate of William Welsh Harrison, a sugar baron who built it in the late 1800s.
5. Castello di Amorosa
- Location: Calistoga, California
A medieval-style winery, Castello di Amorosa is the ideal place to visit if you want a backdrop in medieval times paired with modern-day winemaking. The castle, built in 1993, has 107 rooms and 121,000 square feet open to visitors.
4. Belvedere Castle
- Location: New York City, New York
Built in 1867, Belvedere Castle is located on the second-highest point of Central Park. Since 1869, it has served as the US Weather Bureau’s official weather station.
3. Bannerman Castle
- Location: Beacon, New York
Bannerman Castle was built on a New York State Island by Scottish businessman Frank Bannerman in the early 1900s. Sadly, a fire devastated the castle in 1969, though visitors can take a ferry to the island and walk through the remains.
2. Boldt Castle
- Location: Alexandria Bay, New York
Hotelier George C. Boldt once owned this early 1900s home as his family’s summer retreat. After being abandoned for 70 years, the six-story home is now open for visitors from mid-May to early October.
1. Biltmore Estate
- Location: Asheville, North Carolina
The largest home in America, the Biltmore Estate, is 175,000 square feet of pure American castle. It’s almost hard to believe this was once a real home and is now a tourist destination for hundreds of thousands of visitors annually.
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