Most people associate Europe with fairytale castles, but that’s not the only place where you’ll find them. In fact, it turns out, castles dot the landscape all across the United States. Ok, so the monarchy doesn’t live in those in the U.S., but nonetheless, these buildings are perfectly suited to royalty. The castles in America are more modern than those in the likes of England and Romania and aren’t really castles in the true sense, but they are still impressive. Some of the castles in the state of Kentucky are country residencies and others are decorative hotels. There are even some city houses constructed to look like European castles. Curious to find out more about these regal structures? Here are some of the best castles in Kentucky, USA.
Best Castles in Kentucky
1. Kentucky Castle, Versailles
If you want to live like royalty in the Bluegrass State, then book a vacation to Martin Castle, aka Castle Post, Versailles Castle and The Kentucky Castle. Located about 30 minutes from Lexington, you’ll find this castle in Versailles – that’s Versailles, Kentucky, not Versailles, France. Though it looks like a medieval-style castle it is, in fact, a modern building – workers constructed it in 1969. However, soon after its construction, the owners divorced and left it sitting there for 30 years. Situated on 55 acres, it is now a boutique hotel with 13 bedrooms, a farm to table restaurant, event venues, a spa and a working farm. The castle looks very impressive with its pointy turrets and stone walls and has panoramic views of the rolling hills and countryside of The Bluegrass State.
2. Conrad’s Castle, Old Louisville
Louisville architect, Arthur Loomis, completed the construction of this Victorian house in 1895. Located in the historic and beautiful St. James Court in Old Louisville, this Richardsonian Romanesque castle stands proud as a symbol of the Victorian grandeur of Louisville’s Gilded Age. Old Louisville in Kentucky has the highest concentration of restored Victorian homes in the United States and Conrad’s Castle is a site of cultural and architectural significance in the city. Today, the castle is the Conrad-Caldwell House Museum and you can take a tour of this historic home and discover what life was like in Victorian Louisville.
3. Clark Scott Castle, Prospect
Also in Louisville, in the city of Prospect, is Clark Scott Castle. Clark Scott and his wife, Kelly, travelled around England and Italy and fell in love with the romantic castles. They decided to bring a bit of Europe to Kentucky and they built their own castle. Made of concrete, the front of Clark Scott Castle is based on St. Brivels castle. This is a moated Norman castle at St Briavels in the English county of Gloucestershire.
4. Old Taylor Castle, Frankfort
In the heart of bourbon country, in Frankfort, you’ll find Old Taylor Castle, well, technically it is Old Taylor Distillery. E.H. Taylor, Jr. constructed Old Taylor Distillery in 1887. This peristyle spring house has sunken gardens, stone bridges, gazebos, and castle-like buildings topped with turrets. The castle-like buildings inspired the current owners to rename the building Castle & Key Distillery. You can tour the building and see how gin, vodka and whisky are made in these historic surrounds.
5. Guthrie Castle, Guthrie
The Mimms family built Guthrie Castle in the late 1800s. A trip to England inspired them to build a castle back in America. Located, as the name suggests, in the town of Guthrie in Todd County, southwestern Kentucky, this majestic home has lots of castle-like ornamentation, for instance, a turret, stone statuary, gargoyles and a cherub. Not much is known about this house other than it was purchased by a carpenter and lovely restored.
