I found this astonishingly detailed photo of Belvedere Castle in Central Park, circa 1890, in the New York City Municipal Archives. It’s incredible that someone was able to capture this clear of a shot 130 years ago. There’s a lot going on in this photo!
Belvedere Castle is known in architecture as a folly, or an expensive structure that was built for decoration but looks as if it’s something grander than it is. It was built as a shell with doors and windows open to the weather. Belvedere Castle was completed in 1869.
New York City Municipal Archives
I would like to visit this place!
There is a similar “open air” castle in Chagrin Falls, Ohio near where I grew up called Squire’s Castle. It’s a neat place to visit!
photo credit: Erik Drost
old spirituals 
America’s fascination with castles is deeply rooted in its European heritage. A wonderful location to see evidence of that is in and around St. Augustine, Florida, America’s oldest city. St. Augustine was establish by the Spanish explorer Don Pedro Menendez de Aviles on September 8, 1565 and to this day continues to be a favorite tourist destination.
http://totallystaugustine.com/seven-castles-in-st-augustine-florida/
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Wooow! How beautiful!
Is Castle Otttis really spelled that way? It must be the only word ever to have three Ts in a row.
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Something inside me suspects the three consecutive “t’s” is a typo that has never been corrected.
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I kind of like the three Ts
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