Beautiful American Castles

Bannerman Castle sits on a small island in the Hudson River in New York State. The castle was built in the early 20th century as an arsenal by Scottish-American munitions merchant Francis Bannerman. It was designed to resemble a medieval Scottish fortress. The structure fell into disrepair through the years, but the Bannerman Castle Trust oversees the island and offers summertime island tours and hosts events such as barbecue picnics and concerts.

Biltmore Estate was built in the Blue Ridge Mountains outside of Asheville, North Carolina. It was designed by architect Richard Morris Hunt, and landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted created the grounds surrounding the castle. This is a 250-room French Renaissance chateau. On the grounds is the beautiful Azalea Garden. The estate is also home to a vineyard and winery.

Bishop’s Palace is also referred to as Gresham’s House and was built in 1892 in the East End Historic District of Galveston, Texas. It was built for attorney and entrepreneur Walter Gresham and his family. The palace was designed by local architect Nicholas J. Clayton. He built the Victorian-style mansion from steel and stone. Bishop’s Palaces has an opulent interior with a mahogany stairwell, stained-glass windows, and decorative wood carvings.

Boldt Castle is a Rhineland-inspired castle sitting on the small Heart Island in the Thousand Islands region in upstate New York. In 1900 a hotel magnate built the castle for his wife, Louise, as a summer home. Unfortunately, Louise died before the castle was completed, and Boldt halted the construction. The castle sat abandoned for over 70 years when it was acquired by the Thousand Islands Bridge Authority and restored. Now the property includes a 120-room castle, a drawbridge, and the beautiful Aister Tower. Visitors can get a tour of the castle and grounds.

The Breakers is the creation of architect Richard Morris Hunt for the Vanderbilt family. It was meant to be a summer home built in the late 19th century in the picturesque coastal town of Newport in Rhode Island. This 70-room mansion has a grand dining room, freestanding columns, and gilded cornices. Austrian-American sculptor Karl Bitter created relief sculptures. It is open to tours.

Castello di Amorosa sits in the northern reaches of picturesque Napa Valley in California. It resembles a 13th-century castle and opened its doors in 2007 after a 15-year construction. The castle was designed by owner and winemaker Dario Sattui as a winery and is surrounded by vineyards producing award-winning Italian-style wines. Castello di Amorosa has 107 rooms, most of which are used for winemaking, a drawbridge, a great hall with replica Italian frescoes, and a dungeon.

Fonthill Castle is located in Doylestown, Pennsylvania. It was the home of archaeologist and ceramicist Henry Chapman Mercer. The castle was built in the Medieval, Gothic, and Byzantine styles. Fonthill Castle has 44 rooms, 18 fireplaces, and over 200 windows. In 1930 it became a museum. On the castle grounds is the Moravian Pottery and Tile Works, built by Mercer in 1912, with tiles on display.

Hammond Castle was built between 1926 and 1929 overlooking the Gloucester Harbor in Massachusetts. It was built by American inventor John Hays Hammond to be a home and laboratory. The castle was built from local stone with Roman, medieval, and Renaissance artifacts Hammond has collected from his travels to Europe. Today it is a museum. Visitors can tour the castle and see the unique inner courtyard made from medieval storefronts Hammond found on a trip to France and had brought to the US.

Hearst Castle sits on a hilltop overlooking San Simeon, California. The castle was built between 1919 and 1947. It was the home of newspaper tycoon William Randolph Hearst, and he nicknamed the estate La Cuesta Encantada, or Enchanted Hill. The estate consists of four buildings with 165 rooms and terraced gardens. The guesthouse offers spectacular views of the Pacific Ocean.

Iolani Palace is the only official royal residence in the US. It was built in 1882 in downtown Honolulu by King Kalakaua. When the US overthrew the Hawaiian monarchy in 1883, the palace became the capitol building. Later it was renovated and became a museum in 1978. Iolani Palace was built inspired by European palaces and is the only example of American Florentine architecture, which is a mix of Italian Renaissance and native Hawaiian architectural styles.

Lyndhurst Mansion sits on the edge of the Hudson River in Tarrytown, New York. It was created by architect Alexander Jackson Davis in 1838. It was built in the Gothic Revival style. Tours of the mansion include the art gallery.

Thornewood Castle was built in the early 20th century on the shore of American Lake in Lakewood, Washington. Chester Thorne, a banker and developer, bought a 400-year-old English manor and had it dismantled and transported to the US. Visitors to the castle get access to the private dock and lakeside beach as well as the lovely sunken “secret garden” designed by the well-known Olmsted Brothers, sons of the landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted.