They Turned a Castle Into What?! 6 Makeovers for Royal Digs

Thanks to “Game of Thrones,” castle fever is spreading like the plague. And given there are plenty of real-life castles out there still standing, we started wondering: Now that they rarely serve as sanctuaries for the world’s royalty, what are these fortresses used for now?

Well, it turns out castle makeovers truly run the gamut. Some now house the masses; others brew beer. To give you a glimpse into just how much things can change over the centuries, here are six fine citadels that have found a whole new purpose in life that will make you laugh, cringe, or perhaps even book tickets so you can go see for yourself.

Apartment complex

Who hasn’t dreamed of living in a castle? Well, in Yorkshire, England, your dream can come true at Wilton Castle. Almost five hundred years ago, this site served as the home of some upper-crust family whose owner was hanged for high treason in 1537 and his wife burned at the stake. (Bummer.)

By the 19th century, the house was rebuilt, then served a brief and decidedly unregal stint as an office building for a chemical company. In 2002, it became a residence once again, only this time to the masses: A two-bedroom, two-bath goes for a mere $304,407—which seems not such a bad price for being able to claim that you live at such an illustrious address.

Micro-brewery

Back in the 13th century, the Oslavany Castle in the Czech Republic served as a monastery. We bet those monks are rolling in their graves about what’s happened to this once peaceful property since then: In the early 1900s, it served as an army barracks for the Wehrmacht, the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany. In 1993, the run-down property was taken over by the government and, today, serves the infinitely jollier purpose of micro-brewing beer. Its specialty is a Frantisek 13 amber lager, better known as “Frank”—a local beer lover the brewer once met in town who’s forever commemorated on the brewery’s coasters.

Haunted house

Set in Ireland, Leap Castle outside Roscrea, County Offaly, is considered the most haunted castle in the world. And for good reason: A fierce sibling rivalry caused one brother to plunge a sword into another within the chapel, since dubbed the “Bloody Chapel.” What’s more, human bones once lined the dungeon floor. Today, these spirits take the form of ghosts that look like sheep with human heads. (Or so we’ve been told.) And best of all, you can visit and see them yourself! Talk about a fun vacation.

Movie set

What do Lady Mary Crawley of “Downton Abbey” and Harry Potter have in common? Alnwick Castle in Northumberland, England. This 1,000-year-old castle has been held by the same family, the Percys, for 700 years. Yet since the 1960s, this fortress and its grounds have served as the backdrop for tons of movies, including three “Potter” flicks (and those epic games of Quidditch). You can not only see the castle on the big screen, but visit it in person year-round, as we’re sure plenty of Hogwarts fans have done already.

Hotel

If you’re looking to sleep like a prince for far less than a king’s ransom, then check out Castle Hotel auf Schönberg in Oberwesel, Germany. For $371 per night, you will get the best room in the house, which comes with breakfast and four-course dinner. Meanwhile you can ponder this edifice’s 1,000-year history: burned to the ground by French soldiers in 1689, then rebuilt 200 years later. Considering those dark times, being a hotel sounds like a pretty nice gig. 

Nightclub

In Barcelona, you can dance the night away between the walls of a castle called La Terrrazza (and yes, it is spelled with an extra r, this place is known for excess). It was built in 1929 (fairly recently as far as castles go) as part of the International Exposition. Originally designed as an architectural museum, it now blasts bad Euro-trash music while bartenders in bikinis serve up Long Island Ice teas to tourists. Some call this progress. 

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