If you have ever wanted to live like a king or queen, you don't have to go very far to fulfill your royal dreams.
While you may not expect to find a castle surrounded by saguaro cactuses or in the middle of metro Phoenix, there are at least 13 around the Grand Canyon state. From the iconic Tovrea Castle off Loop 202 to Montezuma's Castle near the Verde Valley, Arizona is home to some spectacularly unexpected castles with unusual origins.
Here's what to know about castles in Arizona and how you can visit or even stay the night in them.
Mystery Castle
Situated inthe foothills of South Mountain Park and Preserve is the famous Mystery Castle. Thestructure, built in the 1930s by Boyce Luther Gulley, is made of an odd assortment of building materials including recycled car parts, telephone poles,plow discs, tiles, stones, bricks and metals.
Gulley, who battled tuberculosis, moved to Arizona and left his family behind spent the next several years building the Mystery Castle for his daughter Mary Lou. It wasn’t until Gulley died in 1945, however, that his wife Frances Bradford Gulley and Mary Lou found out about the castle. They eventually moved in and called it home.
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Tovrea Castle
Tovrea Castleis a building that hardly goes unnoticed when you drive by. You may be intrigued by its shape, its colorful lights at night or its antique-looking architecture.
Located on Van Buren Street just west of Loop 202, Tovrea Castle is a Phoenix landmark initially built as a resort destination — a plan that was never completed. The castle later ended up being a personal residence. Decades later, the building was purchased and renovated, opening to the public in 2012.
Montezuma Castle
Just a few minutes off busy Interstate 17 near Camp Verde, a 20-room cliffdwelling is nestled high in an alcove overlooking Beaver Creek. The structure was built by the Southern Sinagua people some 1,000 years ago.
Visit the castle and marvel at how people built this five-story structure into a limestone nook. The people who lived here hunted, farmed and traded with people as far away as the California coast. They moved on in about 1400.
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Agua Verde Castle
Duane Durham, who grew up constructing homes, built this southern Arizona castle for him and his wife Ginny in the 1970s, according to a post from the Vail Preservation Society on Facebook. The castle, which is perched high on a hill and is visible from the Arizona Trail, was not easy to build but now stands proudly as a reminder of Durahm's ingenuity and creativity.
"There is something compelling about building a castle," the post said. "Many of us dream of doing something out of the ordinary — but extremely few take a chance and do it."
McClelland Library at the Irish Cultural Center
The Irish Cultural Center's McClelland Library brings a uniquely Irish vibe to Central Avenue in downtown Phoenix. The cultural center's library, which is three stories and holds more than 8,000 books from Irish writers, was designed after a 12th-century Norman Castle.
"Visitors can immediately feel as if they have traveled thousands of miles across the ocean and ended up in the middle of the Emerald Isle," the cultural center's library website says. "Its huge wooden entrance doors are more like a gateway to history than an entry to a library."
Copenhaver Castle
Perched on the southwestern slopes of Camelback Mountain, Copenhaver Castle is a uniquely Arizona residence modeled after Moorish and Spanish Castles. Orthodontist Mort Copenhaver started constructing the home in the 1960s, eventually building a 7,807-square-foot, five-bedroom castle complete with a dungeon that doubles as a wet bar, drawbridge, 22-person hot tub and 17-foot waterfall in the living room, according to a website about the building.
Copenhaver lost the home in 1989 and it is now a private residence, though the so-called Camelback Castle continues to fascinate residents.
Sibley Mansion
The Sibley Mansion was built in the early 1900s by mine manager R. Roy Sibley in the now-abandoned town of Copper Creek in southern Arizona. The home was built for entertaining potential mine investors and was a Spanish style and had 20 rooms with polished oak floors, according to "Copper Creek, a Biography of Martin E. Tew" by Jerry Rowe. Though the location is remote, some parts of the home still stand.
Barlowe Massicks' House
Barlow-Massicks' House, or the Castle on the Creek, was built along Lynx Creek in the late 1800s by Thomas Gibson Barlow Massicks, according to an article from historian Peggy Mageeon the Sharlot Hall Museum website. He came from a wealthy British family and ran a mining operation. He built Barlow-Massicks' House, which included a ballroom and wine cellar, for entertaining.
Today the castle is private, but can be spotted in Prescott Valley's Fain Park.
Sand Castle
Want to rent a castle for a night? This four bedroom, 2.5 bathroom rental in Yuma is available through Airbnb. The residence features a castle-like facade and lavish details and decor fit for royalty.
Castle Northern Arizona
This six-bedroom, five-bathroom home in Flagstaff is another rental option for a royal road trip available via Airbnb. The exterior features stonework that continues throughout the home and several other design features reminiscent of a medieval castle.
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Castle Apartments
If you don't want to rent an entire castle for a night, you can rent a room at this Tucson apartment building. Built in 1906, Castle Apartments was originally Whitwell Hospital and has been a sanitorium, retirement home and apartments over the years. The apartment complex features a turret design with "saltillo tile and rustic wooden beamwork," according to the apartment's website.
Chateau De Vie
The Chateau de Vie, just off Kyrene Road in Chandler, was built in 1984 and features stained glass, wood carvings and murals, according to its website. Shelly and Nick Goodman bought the home in 2010 and have worked to restore the home since. Visitors can take a guided tour of the home and see the Lavender Farm on the property.
Ashley Castle
Walk through the 200-year-old doors at Ashley Castle in Chandler, past the suits of armor and into a party venue fit for a royal ball. The castle hosts wedding events and photo shoots at the property, which includes many classic castle architectural features.
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Arizona Republic reporters Laura Daniella Sepulveda and Jill Cassidy contributed to this article. Former reporter Shanti Learner also contributed.
