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Question: What surprising attractions can visitors find in Ohio?
Answer: Visitors can find a surprising number of spectacular castles, some of the best in the U.S., that look like they came from a different century and continent. -
Question: What is special about the Piatt Castles in Ohio?
Answer: The Piatt Castles are original structures built more than a century ago. -
Question: What is notable about the Loveland Castle Museum?
Answer: The Loveland Castle Museum is a newer castle, inspired by the elegance and romance of old castles. -
Question: Why are Ohio’s castles unique?
Answer: Ohio’s castles offer a mix of historical and modern inspirations, making them unique attractions in the U.S. -
Question: Where can visitors find a list of the best castles in Ohio?
Answer: Visitors can explore the best castles in Ohio through curated lists and recommendations.
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1. Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens
Explore stunning gardens and admire historic Tudor Revival architecture.
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What is Stan Hywet Hall and Gardens?
- Romantic Stan Hywet Hall and Gardens in Akron was completed in 1915 as a home for Frank Seiberling and his growing family.
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Who was Frank Seiberling?
- Frank Seiberling was one of the cofounders of the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company.
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Why is Stan Hywet Hall significant?
- The estate is one of the most significant examples of the American Country Estate movement, popular during the Industrial Age.
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What architectural style is Stan Hywet Hall designed in?
- The manor house and service buildings were designed in the Tudor revival style, inspired by English castles and estates.
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What role did Stan Hywet play in Seiberling's social life?
- The Stan Hywet quickly became a place where Seiberlings met with their friends to discuss contemporary issues.
- Many well-known personalities and artists were guests in the manor.
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How did Stan Hywet become a public landmark?
- After their parents' death, Seiberling's children decided to gift Stan Hywet to the Akron community in 1957.
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What can visitors see at Stan Hywet today?
- A popular Akron landmark, Stan Hywet is one of America's largest homes open to the public.
- It is an accredited museum and offers tours of the home's original furnishings and art collections.
714 North Portage Path, Akron OH 44303, Phone: 330-836-5533, Map
2. Ravenwood Castle Hotel
Enjoy a medieval-themed stay with cozy, romantic surroundings.
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Where is Ravenwood Castle located?
- Located about nine miles from Hocking Hills, Ravenwood Castle was designed to resemble castles built in the 12th and 13th centuries on the border between England and Wales.
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When was Ravenwood Castle completed?
- The castle was completed in 1995 and was planned as a medieval-themed hotel.
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What is the "medieval village" at Ravenwood Castle?
- In addition to the castle, there is a "medieval village," a group of rustic cottages nearby.
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How are the rooms at Ravenwood Castle decorated?
- The hotel's rooms are decorated in the medieval style with fireplaces, fake stone walls, antique furniture, and even dungeons.
- Despite the medieval theme, the rooms also feature modern amenities like whirlpool tubs and kitchenettes.
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What accommodations are available at Ravenwood Castle?
- There are seven luxury rooms in the castle as well as a number of cabins, cottages, and "gypsy wagons".
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What dining and drink options are available for guests?
- Guests have breakfast in the great hall and can savor a beer in the castle's pub.
65666 Bethel Rd, New Plymouth, OH 45654, Phone: 740-596-2606, Map
3. Landoll's Mohican Castle
Experience luxury lodging and scenic views in a fairytale-like castle.
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Where is Landoll's Mohican Castle located?
- Located in the heart of Mohican country, about four miles from Mohican State Park, Landoll's Mohican Castle is an opulent, luxurious hotel designed to look like an Old World castle.
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When did Landoll's Mohican Castle open?
- The castle opened in 2002.
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How many suites and accommodations are available?
- The castle has eleven unique suites, with an additional four suites in the Highlands Building and two cottages located nearby.
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What amenities do the suites offer?
- The elegant suites have European-style decor, whirlpool tubs, microwaves, gas fireplaces, fridges, cable TV, and wet bars.
- Some suites have garden access, four-poster beds, and private balconies.
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What other facilities are available at the hotel?
- The hotel has an indoor pool.
- The castle's restaurant, The Copper Mug Bar & Grille, has a lovely outdoor deck.
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What unique experiences can guests enjoy?
- Guests can enjoy carriage rides through the forest.
- Ghost tours and murder mystery dinners are popular hotel events.
561 Township Road 3352, Loudonville, OH 44842, Phone: 419-994-3427, Map
4. Schwartz Castle
Discover intriguing history and admire this unique, historic landmark.
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What is Schwartz Castle?
- Schwartz Castle is a quirky Columbus landmark located in the German Village neighborhood.
- Its windowed turret is visible for miles around.
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Who built Schwartz Castle?
- The house was built of red brick to look like an Old World European castle by the German immigrant Frederick William Schwartz in the mid-1800s.
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What was Frederick William Schwartz’s profession?
- Schwartz was a pharmacist with a successful shop on Main Street.
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What is the legend behind Schwartz Castle?
- Schwartz built the castle as a home for himself and his future wife, who later broke off the engagement, sending Schwartz into insanity.
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What unusual features did Schwartz Castle have?
- According to legend, Schwartz built secret passageways through the house and five stories of basement.
- He drank only rainwater and sunbathed nude on the tower roof.
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Is Schwartz Castle haunted?
- His ghost is one of many that are alleged to visit the castle.
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What is Schwartz Castle used for today?
- The castle has been turned into an apartment building.
Schwartz Castle, 492 S 3rd St, Columbus, OH 43215-5702
5. Piatt Castles
Explore fascinating 19th-century architecture and learn about local history.
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Where are the Piatt Castles located?
- Snuggled in the lovely countryside of Logan County, Ohio near the Shawnee village of Mackachack are two massive Gothic castles built in the 1860s and 1870s by two Piatt brothers who grew up in the area.
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What are the names of the Piatt Castles?
- Called Mac-A-Cheek and Mac-O-Chee, the castles have become a private museum that celebrates 200 years of Ohio history.
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What architectural features do the Piatt Castles have?
- The castles have three stories, towers, painted ceilings, and intricate woodwork.
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Who owns and manages the Piatt Castles?
- The Piatt family still owns and manages the castles and started opening them for tours in 1912.
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What events take place at the Piatt Castles?
- Today, they are popular sites for concerts, weddings, receptions, camps, historical reenactments, and other special events.
Piatt Castles, 10051 Township Rd 47, West Liberty, OH 43357, Phone: 937-465-2821
6. Loveland Castle Museum
Tour a medieval-inspired castle and discover unusual local history.
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Where is Château Laroche (Loveland Castle) located?
- Château Laroche, or the Loveland Castle, is located on the banks of the Little Miami River near Loveland, Ohio.
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Who built Château Laroche?
- Its construction began in 1929 by Harry D. Andrews, a Boy Scout troop leader, a medievalist, and a World War I veteran.
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How was Château Laroche built?
- Andrews worked on the castle for more than 50 years, bringing stones from the Little Miami River.
- When he ran out of stones, he added bricks, cement, and quart milk cartons mix.
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Who owns Château Laroche today?
- Andrews willed the castle to his Boy Scout troop known as the Knights of the Golden Trail.
- The troop's members continued to upgrade and renovate it and opened it to the public as a museum.
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What can visitors see at Château Laroche?
- The east tower offers a short video presentation on Andrews' life.
- There is a chapel upstairs that has a wall built of stones Andrews brought from his travels or that his friends and followers sent to him.
Loveland Castle Museum, 12025 Shore Rd, Loveland, OH 45140, Phone: 513-683-4686
7. GreatStone Castle Resorts
Relax in elegant suites and enjoy a peaceful, romantic getaway.
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Where is GreatStone Castle located?
- Located only a 10-minute walk from the Sidney Courthouse Square Historic District and the Historic Sidney Theatre, the GreatStone Castle is a Sidney and Ohio landmark.
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How old is GreatStone Castle?
- It is one hundred years old.
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What materials were used to build GreatStone Castle?
- This magnificent mansion is made of beautiful golden Indiana limestone.
- It boasts walls that are nearly 18 inches thick, stately stone columns, and three turrets, making for the ideal look of an old castle.
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What features enhance the castle's exterior?
- The castle has a large wrap-around porch and a spacious circular driveway shaded by a one hundred-year-old oak, promising a warm welcome.
- Two acres of manicured lawns and gardens surround the castle.
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What amenities does GreatStone Castle offer guests?
- Its interior is modernized to offer guests of this bed and breakfast full comfort amongst old-world elegance.
- Ornate fireplaces and fine hardwood floors go well together with free Wi-Fi and cable TV.
GreatStone Castle Resorts, 429 N Ohio Ave, Sidney, OH 45365, Phone: 937-498-4728
8. Franklin Castle
Admire Victorian architecture and uncover eerie, mysterious legends.
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Why is Franklin Castle famous?
- According to some, Franklin Castle is considered the Most Haunted House in Ohio.
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Where is Franklin Castle located?
- This fascinating historical house, designed in Queen Anne style, is located in the Ohio City neighborhood of Cleveland.
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Who built Franklin Castle?
- It was built in 1881 for German immigrant Hannes Tiedemann.
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What modifications did Hannes Tiedemann make to the house?
- He added a ballroom on the fourth floor of the home.
- He also added gargoyles and turrets to the facade, making the house look even more like a castle.
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What events contributed to Franklin Castle's haunted reputation?
- Tiedemann's four children and mother died shortly after moving into the house.
- This created a legend of strange happenings, crimes, and ghosts in the house.
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What happened to Franklin Castle after Tiedemann?
- The castle has changed hands many times since then.
- For one reason or another, all owners gave up on their plans of renovating it and moved out, abandoning their investments.
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Was Franklin Castle ever investigated for paranormal activity?
- The house was even exorcised by a ghost-hunting group, the Northeast Ohio Psychical Research Society.
Franklin Castle, 4308 Franklin Boulevard, Cleveland, OH
9. The Castle Inn
Enjoy a historic, charming stay with a touch of romantic allure.
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Who built Castle Inn and when?
- When Samuel Ruggles built his castle in 1895, he was inspired by a number of European castles he visited.
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What is one of the first things visitors see at Castle Inn?
- One of the first things visitors see when they come to the Castle Inn is the magnificent piece of stained glass at the end of the stairway.
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What Old World details does Castle Inn feature?
- Besides many lovely stained glass windows, the castle has other fine Old World details such as a bathroom with rose marble walls, intricate walnut furniture, and marble fixtures in one of the rooms in the tower.
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Where is Castle Inn located today?
- The castle that Mr. Ruggles built is now a charming bed and breakfast located in Circleville, Ohio, about a half-hour drive from downtown Columbus.
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What modern amenities does Castle Inn offer?
- While many antique furniture pieces and details remain, the rooms in the castle are thoroughly modernized.
- Luxuries include fireplaces, heart-shaped or oval whirlpools, private dining rooms, and sitting areas.
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What dining options are available for guests?
- Complimentary hot breakfast in the morning is offered to all guests.
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What special events is Castle Inn known for?
- The Castle Inn is famous for their Murder Mystery nights, with guests as characters.
The Castle Inn, 610 S Court St, Circleville, OH 43113, Phone: 740-412-2472
10. Glamorgan Castle
Walk through grand halls and explore beautifully preserved historic architecture.
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Who built Glamorgan Castle?
- William Henry Morgan, the son of a European immigrant from Wales, built Glamorgan Castle in Alliance, Ohio.
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When was Glamorgan Castle constructed?
- William began construction of his new home in 1904.
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How did William Henry Morgan ensure an authentic European castle design?
- He sent his architect, Willard Hirsh, to Europe to study castles and methods of construction.
- His goal was to ensure that his home, built on 50 acres, would be on a truly grand European scale.
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What materials were used to build Glamorgan Castle?
- The castle walls are 13 inches thick and are made of Vermont marble, creating the look of solid, impenetrable old castles.
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What modern features were included in Glamorgan Castle?
- Although a true Renaissance man, William added many modern features such as a billiard room, a bowling alley, and a big indoor swimming pool.
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Who owns Glamorgan Castle today?
- The Alliance City Schools purchased the castle in 1973.
- Today, it serves as the central administrative office for the school district.
Glamorgan Castle, 200 Glamorgan St, Alliance, OH 44601,Phone: 330-821-2100
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