The size of a building isn’t always what makes it spectacular.
Their history is what makes certain structures the 10 most beautiful castles in New York.
10 Most Beautiful Castles in New York
Bannerman’s Castle sits on the Hudson River in Fishkill.
It’s about two hours from New York, NY, where the Hudson River also flows to the Manhattan borough of New York City.
Francis Bannerman VI built the castle and used it for his business storage.
You can only view it from the outside as of 2021 because its infrastructure needs major repair.
It’s rotting from the inside out but does still have an exterior that resembles the traditional “castle look.”
If they decide to repair the Bannerman Castle, I would want to see inside it.
I hope they find a way to reconstruct it while preserving its original appearance.
Sometimes, that’s possible even if contractors have to use different materials.
2. Singer Castle
Singer Castle in Dark Island has 28 rooms, a boathouse, and a gigantic tower.
Its gothic appeal appears somewhat scary, and it does allow guided tours.
Some castle wings allow overnight guests if you can afford to pay for the rooms.
The Bourne Family constructed the Singer Castle in 1906 and owned it until the 1960s.
You may not have realized this, but the name of the castle applies to the Singer Sewing Company.
Frederick Bourne was the Singer company’s fifth president, so I’d guess that’s why it’s called the “Singer” castle instead of by the family’s surname.
3. Castle Gould
Augustus N. Allen designed Castle Gould in 1902.
It’s not as large as other NY castles, but it does resemble the Irish Kilkenny Castle, so it does have some history behind it.
Guided tours don’t take place here.
However, you can see yourself around this fortress.
There’s no rush either.
Take as much time as you like to view the perimeter of this place.
Howard Gould and actress Katherin Clemmons originally purchased this property.
Crews built four mansions total on the grounds, one of which was the Gould.
It’s possible to get into Castle Gould for free if you’re a member of the Sands Point Preserve Conservancy.
You can take your dog for a run, stroll past the rose gardens and view the water from the beach here.
4. Belvedere Castle at Vista Rock
Vista Rock contains Belvedere Castle, located at the “second highest natural point” in Central Park.
Calvert Vaux and Jacob Wrey Mould had their hand in making Belvedere Castle what it became.
By the way, “Belvedere” means “beautiful view” in Italian.
This building that sits just right for viewing the landscape around it first came to be upon completion in 1872.
In 1919, the U.S. Weather Bureau turned it into a weather station.
At this time, the building finally had doors and windows that it didn’t have before.
The reason for this building originally not having doors and windows was that the builders intended it as a lookout tower.
After the Weather Bureau moved out of this space in the 1960s, it suffered vandalism and began to look like a desolate wasteland.
From the 1980s to 2019, the former Belvedere Castle grounds were turned into the Central Park Conservancy.
Onsite, you can now see the two-acre Turtle Pond.
Turtle Pond has more turtle species in it than you would expect in downtown New York City.
These include the box, muscle, slider, snapping, and others.
Vista Rock on the former Belvedere Castle site also provides you with a spectacular city skyline and horizon view.
5. Boldt Castle
You probably can guess why this fortress is named the “Boldt Castle.”
George Boldt began constructing it between 1900 and 1904.
Boldt did it for his wife, who unfortunately didn’t have time to enjoy the completed version.
Building the castle seemed not to be as important to George as while his wife was alive.
It remained unused for 73 years before its reopening took place.
As of 2022, visitors can reach Boldt Castle by public or private boats.
If you want, you can schedule a guided tour of this mansion and have an outdoor picnic onsite.
Boldt Castle also hosts wedding ceremonies.
A virtual tour is even available.
It’s in Alexandria Bay, NY.
6. Castle Williams
Sometimes what makes a building unique is its shape.
You don’t see many circular castles, but Castle Williams in New York City has a portion of it that’s semi-circular.
It reminds me of the Greek and Roman gladiator coliseums.
Colonel Jonathan designed the original fortress that became the early Castle Williams.
This took place in 1811, and it became an important military headquarters on Governors Island.
During the War of 1812, Castle Williams became a source of defense against British Navy ships.
Peacetime U.S. Army service has also taken place here.
7. Leland Castle
My first thought was “Gotham City” from Batman when I took one look at pictures of Leland Castle.
I did some digging, and sure enough, it (or one like it) does have some presence in various Batman comic books and movies.
The Leland represents a Gothic Revival style.
Mr. Simeon Leland had it built in 1855, and this New Rochelle, NY structure became a registered historic place in 1980.
8. Beardslee Castle
Like many of the castles found in New York, Beardslee has an Irish theme.
Augustus Beardslee built this large mansion in 1860.
After the second fire occurred in 1989, the building remained unoccupied for three years.
Then, the restaurant in it reopened in 1994 after taking two years to restore the burnt kitchen.
I say the Beardslee has that storybook “spook” about it.
I swear I’ve even seen it in movies.
Anyway, it does lend itself to legends that tell the tales of ghosts and spirits appearing in it.
The Beardslee Castle hosts themed events on its grounds.
It’s a popular wedding venue, for example.
It also schedules murder mystery dinners, and you can find this place in Little Falls, NY.
9. Belhurst Castle
Belhurst Castle in Geneva, NY now operates as a hotel.
It also has a winery onsite, and it provides lodging.
The grounds where the castle sits formerly held the Council of the Six Nations of Iroquois.
The Seneca people resided here too.
In the 18th century, the state of Massachusetts somehow got a hold of it.
William DeLong, one of the Ontario Glass Manufacturing Company’s stockholders, acquired land here.
The portion of land that this stockholder-owned by 1824 is where Belhurst Castle sits.
Soon after, Joseph Fellows acquired it.
Mr. Fellows also built a home on the property, but he didn’t live in it.
Someone else known to the community as “Henry Hall” lived in it instead.
The Belhurst Castle changed hands quite a few times before becoming the hotel, winery, dining hall, and event venue that it is as of 2022.
10. Highlands Castle
I do appreciate the architecture of Highlands Castle.
It does look like I imagine this type of fortification to be.
However, I appreciate the view of Lake George that this upstate castle provides.
The Highlands in Bolton Landing has become a hotel, so it’s possible to spend more than a day in it.
Besides the lake, it also provides you with a view of the Adirondack Mountains, which makes it the majestic event venue that it is.
It has that fairytale mansion appeal, and it first came as an idea by John A. Lavender II in 1978.
About five years later, the father and son duo lived in it.
In 1986, John met Yvonne and married her, and she made additional improvements to the Highlands.
John originally started this project as a promise to his son of a place where he could live and create special memories.
When I think of castles, I don’t typically expect them to be so “new.”
However, some castles that have medieval design traits don’t come until modern times, like the Highlands.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How old are New York castles?
Many of the New York castles came during the postmodern era, after the 1800s.
Some of them have only been around for about 200 years, unlike others built hundreds or even thousands of years ago.
Why were castles in NY built?
Some of the NY castles I learned about were built for living in.
However, I know some of them served as military defense stations and kept people safe during wartime.
After the 20th century, mimicking the castle style when building homes because of its visual appeal became a trend.
However, they do serve well as a place for government or private businesses.
Can you have a picnic at a NY castle?
It is possible to have a picnic at a NY castle.
You can often sit outside this state’s famous landmarks for free while enjoying your meal too.
Can you go inside NY castles?
Some of them have opened or reopened to the public as of 2021, but not all of them have.
Even in 2022, some of them are closed.
Covid isn’t the only reason though.
Some of them need repair and may require major renovations before you can be assured they won’t collapse.
Can you live in a New York castle?
Maybe you could live in a New York castle if you buy it and renovate it.
Temporary lodging often comes with a visit to certain mansions converted into hotels.
How many castles are in New York?
According to Castles of New York by Scott Ian Berry, there are 29 significant ones.
I haven’t found an exact total of them, just an estimation of dozens of these structures present in NY state.
