Those dreaming of castles with towers and turrets will likely set their sights on Europe – but you can get your fairy-tale fix stateside too. While they're not always the real deal, there are many buildings across the USA modelled on majestic fortresses across the pond. We've picked 15 of the most impressive.

Named after its visionary – affluent hotelier George C. Boldt – Boldt Castle is a would-be private estate turned popular tourist attraction. The castle was a labour of love – literally – as Bolt built the sprawling confection as a show of love for his wife, Louise, who sadly passed during its construction. Upon her death, bereft Boldt abandoned the project and it stood unfinished on Heart Island until the 1970s.

In 1977, the property was acquired by the Thousand Islands Bridge Authority, who showed it some much-needed love. The entire castle boasts six storeys and has 120 rooms and a beautiful Italianate garden – some say the property was inspired by the imposing fortresses dotting the German swathe of the River Rhine. Accessible by boat, the castle is open to tourists seasonally and is also a popular wedding venue.

This Death Valley ‘castle’ has a murky past. Built in the roaring 20s, and funded by millionaire Albert Mussey Johnson (who holidayed here with his wife), it was primarily the bolthole of notorious conman and crook Walter E. Scott – and the likely plotting place for his nefarious activities. Its style is Spanish Colonial Revival – all terracotta roofs, winding staircases, elegant arches and intricate iron work.

Flash floods did some major damage to the castle in 2015 and extensive renovations are ongoing – it’s likely that the castle won’t reopen to the public until 2020. Until then you can book onto a ‘Scotty’s Castle Recovery Tour’ to learn about the impact of floods here and in the surrounding area, and discover more about the extensive regeneration effort.

Loveland Castle, or Château Laroche as it’s also known, was born from one man’s fascination with medieval Europe. A medic in WWI, eccentric Harry Delos Andrews abhorred modern warfare but was intrigued by the sword-wielding knights of times gone by. His work as a hospital clerk in France, following a battle with meningitis, inspired him to set up the Knights of the Golden Trail, a kind of Boy Scout group that camped, hiked, and allowed him to indulge his passion for past civilisations.

The castle itself came later, in 1929 – Andrews envisioned it as a base for himself and his fellow 'knights'. Inspired by the fortresses of 16th-century France, Germany and England, he worked on the castle almost single-handedly for decades – at first on weekends, then full-time upon his retirement. He died in 1981 before its completion. Today, visitors can tour the castle, taking in arrow-slit windows, the dry moat and the watchtowers. You can also peruse a collection of historic weaponry.

It’s as if this moody citadel has been plucked straight from the English countryside. English-Norman in style, it’s all turrets, towers and weathered sandstone, and its foundations were set as early as 1885. It was the vision of business man Colonel Samuel Taylor Suit, who won the hand of Rosa Pelham, the daughter of an Alabama congressman, with his promise to build her a castle.

Suit died in 1888, before the feat was completed, and his wife finished the job herself. She lived in the castle and filled it with the most well-heeled among society, holding lavish parties, until her cash flow dried up and she was forced to move on. Legend has it, though, that the spirit of Rosa, and several of her late lovers, still remains. You can get a good view of the castle from West Virginia Route 9 or, if you want it all to yourself, rent the space for a private event.

One of the few real palaces in the USA, Iolani Palace was home to the Hawaiian monarchy in the 19th century. The royal residence was completed in 1882, a sumptuous property ahead of its time, complete with electricity and modern plumbing. Its architectural style is unique, dubbed “American Florentine” for its blend of traditional Hawaiian and Italian Renaissance features – its elegant columns and bold corner towers are most striking.

The interiors are equally as opulent, and the Throne Room is the plushest of them all. Red velvet curtains frame vast windows, chandeliers hang heavy from the ceiling and a pair of gilded thrones sit on a raised platform. King Kalakaua and Queen Kapi‘olani were the first royals to live here, moving in as soon as their regal abode was completed. The monarchy occupied the palace until 1893 when the then-leader Queen Lili'uokalani was overthrown. Today it's a public museum.

This impressive feat was originally called La Cuesta Encantada (“Enchanted Hill” in Spanish). It was dreamt up by media man William Randolph Hearst, who was inspired by his childhood travels in Europe. He teamed up with architect Julia Morgan in 1919, and the pair would spend almost three decades toiling away on the castle. Ill health meant Hearst never saw it completed to his specification, but even in its unfinished state the castle contained some 165 rooms and more than 100 acres of gardens.

Hearst was an art lover, too, and paintings and sculptures practically spill from the property: a highlight is Venus Italica, a sculpture of Venus by Italian Antonio Canova. The castle also boasts a dreamy Italianate terrace and the glittering Neptune pool, also of Roman influence. Today, a range of tours are available to the public, including those themed around art and even Hollywood (Charlie Chaplin and Cary Grant were among the glittering parade of guests to visit the castle).

One glimpse at this sprawling villa and you might think you’ve been transported to the Mediterranean. This salmon pink and terracotta feat was inspired by some of Venice’s most impressive buildings: namely Ca’ d’Oro and Doge’s Palace. It was the vision of the eccentric circus master John Ringling and his wife Mable, and construction began in 1924, led by New York architect Dwight James Baum. Just 41 rooms and 15 bathrooms later glittering Cà d’Zan was born.

The facade is particularly impressive, with intricate cresting and blue-stained glass, while the luxurious interior is fit for the string of celebrity guests that once frequented it (including the late comedian and actor Jimmy Walker). Ringling lived here until his death in 1936, when he donated the property to his beloved Florida. A string of renovations mean it is now as dazzling as ever – visitors can tour the property, before heading over to The Museum of Art, also a project of Ringling’s.

This ‘castle’ in Michigan may look like a French chateau – but it was once a humble post office. The building, with its cylindrical towers and cone-shaped turrets, was dedicated in 1898, and such was the local love for this unique post office, it was soon extended. Saginaw Valley, where you’ll find the building, had some early French settlers, and some say this inspired the design.

As new post and federal buildings popped up and began serving the city, this beloved building came under threat of destruction. The city’s fondness for the French edifice won out, though, and it was instead converted to the Castle Museum of Saginaw County History, which it remains today. Visit for a comprehensive account of the area’s past.

‘Belvedere’ means ‘beautiful view’ in Italian – a fitting name for this fairy-tale folly in New York’s Central Park. This city-dwelling castle has never seen battle. Instead, it was dreamt up in 1869 by American landscape architect Calvert Vaux as a viewpoint for the park’s reservoir and the business-like skyscrapers beyond. The Victorian Gothic building was also used as a weather station from 1919 until the early 1960s, and you can still spot meteorological instruments here.

After falling into disrepair, Belvedere was given a much-needed face lift in 1983. Some three decades later the turreted, grey-stone fort rises from its surrounding foliage as grand as ever, but is undergoing further upgrades to keep it sound for years to come. When open, it acts as a lookout, visitor centre and gift shop, and includes a range of nature exhibits. Inspired? Read our New York City guide here.

You’ll find this 19th-century castle on the grounds of Arcadia University in Glenside. It belonged to William Welsh Harrison, who conceived of the lavish property after his former estate was ravaged by a fire in 1893. He recruited young architect Horace Trumbauer, who modelled his creation after majestic Alnwick Castle in Northumberland, England.

A Gothic masterpiece from the outside, the castle’s grandeur continues inside. Its rooms are mostly in the French Renaissance style, with swish wood panelling, decorated ceilings and grand entryways. Harrison passed away in 1927 and nowadays the castle is a working university building, holding events space, lecture halls and even some residences. Visitors can take a peek from outside.

Touting itself as “America’s largest home”, Biltmore Estate is modelled on a French chateau and was completed in 1895, after six years of construction. Location is the real draw here, though. When young George Vanderbilt, a New York businessman from a distinguished family, visited the smoky Blue Ridge mountains, he knew he wanted to make them his backyard. Upon its completion, Biltmore Estate boasted an impressive 250 rooms, including 35 bedrooms.

He soon filled them with friends and family, and his future wife, Edith, who he married three years later. After Vanderbilt’s death in 1914, his son William set up Biltmore Estate Wine Company and began growing vines on the property. The estate remains a winery today, and visitors can take a tasting at the bar, explore the sprawling grounds and vineyards, and stay in one of the several ritzy lodgings.

Dario Sattui didn’t rush into building Castello di Amorosa – he did his groundwork first. Modelled on a 13th-century Tuscan castle, and surrounded by acres of woodland, this romantic idyll is the perfect place to enjoy fine Italian-style wines – just as its maker intended it to be. Owner Sattui spent years visiting Europe before setting up his winery in Napa Valley. In fact, he bought and renovated a slew of smaller palatial properties in Italy before he embarked on his master project.

To make his dream a reality, Sattui teamed up with builder and Medieval-architecture aficionado Fritz Gruber. They employed building techniques that would have been used in medieval times, and even used antique bricks from former Habsburg palaces. By 2007, the castle opened to the public, complete with watchtowers, ramparts, a chapel, a Great Hall and even a torture chamber (just for show, of course). The great draw remains the wines, though, which have been showered with accolades.

This curious Medieval-style castle was named after its designer, the late William Gillette, an actor most widely known for playing Sherlock Holmes on stage and in a silent movie in the early 1900s. He poured the small fortune from his acting work into this stone confection, 200 feet above the Connecticut River. It took five years to build, from 1914–1919, and is filled with all sorts of oddities that offer a peek into Gillette’s quirky character.

There are mirrors above the doors and windows, as well as a hidden staircase which Gillette purportedly used to spy on his guests. Perhaps most eccentric of all is the shifting dining table, which Gillette would wheel out and slot into place should he have company. The castle underwent extensive renovations in 2002 and is now open to the public as a state park – it includes a visitor centre and guided tours.

It’s a little small for a palace, but this beloved Galveston property is deserving of its name. Built in 1892, it's an impressive example of Victorian architecture, with striking features such as intricate red turrets, gargoyles and bold, circular towers. It was the brainchild of celebrated Galveston architect Nicholas Clayton, who built many of the city’s most beautiful buildings.

Still a great source of city pride and now on the National Register of Historic Places, Bishop’s Palace was constructed for wealthy lawyer Walter Gresham and his family. In 1923, the property was acquired by the Catholic church and became home to Christopher C. E. Byrne, the Bishop of Galveston (giving the property its name). Nowadays, it's open for tours and occasionally for special events, such as high tea.

This isn’t a castle in the traditional sense. It’s still a work in progress, in fact, built up of iron and stone by one man – Jim Bishop – over six decades. Without a qualified architect, or even a blueprint, Bishop’s key raw material has been a whole lot of passion – and some time spent as an apprentice at his father’s ornamental iron shop. Gradually, from its beginnings in 1969, Bishop’s castle in the mountains began to take shape.

That it’s rough around the edges is part of its charm, and the gloriously wonky building is open to the public year round. A fire-breathing dragon warped from steel is one of the wackiest sights you’ll spot on your visit. No guided tours are offered, so you can enjoy getting lost among the winding passageways and look out for Bishop tinkering with his creation on weekend days.