Old historic homes may be bursting with charm and character, but they can have draughts, damp and structural problems. However, there's something a little different about these period properties. From extravagant Versaille-style palaces to English Medieval castles, each of these heritage houses is hiding a secret. Can you guess what? Click or scroll through to find out...
Nestled in eight acres (3.2ha) of grounds, the jaw-dropping new mansion perfectly recreates the grandeur of 17th-century French classicism, from the ornate façade to the intricate mouldings and panelling that adorn the interior living spaces. The foyer is even home to a gold-leaf staircase, said to resemble the one in Marie Antoinette's former residence.
Offering eight bedrooms and 15 bathrooms, the incredible American estate also features six 19th-century marble fireplaces, not to mention crystal chandeliers, including this dazzling design in the dining room. Maison des Jardins most recently hit the market for £35.4 million (£45m) with Sotheby's International Realty.
Situated in the heart of Hamilton, Ontario, Ravenscliffe Castle is just down the road from the sights and sounds of the city, including Bayfront Park and the neoclassical Italianate villa, Dundurn Castle.
The house was designed by famed architect James Balfour back in 1881 but has all the hallmarks of a Medieval property. Constructed from Scottish stone, it boasts a five-storey tower that provides scenic views across the city and the harbour beyond.
The property extends more than 12,000 square feet (1,115sqm) across three floors, and it’s not difficult to picture 19th-century high society sipping cocktails in its many elegant entertaining spaces.
The front door opens into a huge entrance hall, with a grand timber staircase and shimmering hardwood floors. From here, you'll find cosy living rooms that are perfect for hosting and unwinding.
Everywhere you look you'll spot incredible historic touches, like original carved woodwork, wainscoting, doors, mouldings and ceiling medallions.
As well as 12 bedrooms and eight bathrooms, the property also benefits from a lovely billiard room, a formal dining room, a huge kitchen, a built-in bar, two home offices and a basement level that looks like it might have been turned into a wine tasting room. The glamorous property has most recently been on the market with Property Vision for CAD$8.9 million (£5.1m/$6.5m).
This magnificent property in the prestigious Toronto enclave of Bayview Ridge was designed by the famed Canadian architect, Gordon Ridgely, who was inspired by classic French chateaus.
However, while it features a castle-like façade with endless windows and an elegant tower topped with a turret, step over the threshold and you'll find yourself in a remarkably modern home featuring plenty of classic architectural elements.
The home’s layout includes a three-car garage, a fully finished basement, a dining room, a library, a great room, an eat-in kitchen, six bedrooms and 10 bathrooms.
Luxury extras also include a gym, a wine cellar, a wet bar, an indoor pool and a wellness centre with a steam room. The best part? Every space screams luxury, from shimmering marble surfaces to statement ceilings and glossy hardwood floors.
The property also comes complete with more than three acres (1.2ha) of land featuring lawns, lush landscaping and an outdoor pool. Just because the exterior looks like it stepped out of the 17th century doesn’t mean you have to compromise on 21st-century amenities. It should come as no surprise that the glamorous modern home last commanded an asking price of CAD$22.5 million ($16.3m/£12m).
Nick Fisher and Jo Jordan built this remarkable farmhouse in Suffolk, England entirely from scratch without the help of an architect. Finished in 2011, but resembling a home from a bygone era, beautiful Belle Grove Farmhouse, aka the 'Dragon House', was just under four years in the making.
Impressively, the couple sourced all the building materials themselves, from fine French oak to quality marble from India. Once complete, they then filled the incredible self build house with fabulous antiques from around the world.
Needless to say, this most unique of homes has won several prestigious awards to date, and in December 2011, the farmhouse was declared the overall winner of The Daily Telegraph Building Awards, and it's not hard to see why!
Completed in 2009, this curious castle makes a real statement in its Connecticut neighbourhood. The regal residence, complete with turrets and battlements, was built on a gravel-covered artificial island by Christopher W. Mark, the great-grandson of Chicago industrialist Clayton Mark Sr.
Mark designed and built the amazing home for his daughters Vivien and Christina. They wanted to be princesses when they were younger and he wanted to make that dream a reality.
A bona fide Gothic extravaganza, the castle features towering vaulted ceilings, painted murals and a grand dining room fit for royalty, while historic memorabilia, including sarcophaguses and replica swords, adorn the otherwordly interiors.
Encompassing a vast 35,000 square feet (3,251sqm), it's hard to believe that this sprawling estate was completed in the 21st century. The Chris Mark Castle, as it's known, is available to rent out for private events and filming if you fancy experiencing this modern Gothic wonder for yourself.
Castel Moussa or Moussa Castle, is the lifelong project of Moussa Abdel Karim Al-Maamari, who grew up poor and dreamed of one day building his very own castle. Located in the Shouf mountains in Lebanon, Moussa poured every penny he had into this regal fortress.
Every inch a true castle, from the moat and drawbridge to the Medieval-style ramparts, it took 40 years to complete the grand build by hand. However, far from an ancient relic of yesteryear, the 37,673-square-foot (3,500sqm) castle was completed relatively recently, in 1969.
Moussa filled his sprawling castle with enchanting stained glass passages, as well as his weapons collection, daggers, swords, Bedouin jewellery and a vast collection of wax figures depicting scenes from 1960s Lebanon. Only about 25 miles from Beirut, the fascinating castle is open to visitors.
Hungary's Taj Mahal, Bory Castle was built almost single-handedly by architect and sculptor Jenő Bory over a period of 36 years and finished in 1959. The visionary creative dedicated the concrete castle to his wife, who provided a wealth of decorative artworks for the property.
The castle is a hodge podge of clashing styles, incorporating elements of Gothic, Romanesque, Scottish Baronial and Flemish architecture. Despite this, the castle works beautifully as a cohesive, period-inspired structure and would make a wonderfully unique home.
But by the 80s, the fairytale castle had fallen into disrepair and Bory's grandchildren set about restoring the property to its former glory. The work was completed in 2014 and Bory Castle now functions as a museum, which is open to the public all year round.
While it once promised to be a high-end European-inspired châteaux complete with lavish amenities for its well-to-do buyers, the Burj Al Babas resort site is still languishing with no hope of rescue more than a decade on from the project’s inception.
Sequestered in the hills of northwestern Turkey, what was intended to be a bustling new community filled with affluent residents is now a surreal ghost town.
Row upon row of hundreds of turreted, identikit houses meet and part in orderly lines, looking like fairytale castles out of a children’s storybook.
The Sarot Group, the masterminds behind the project, splashed out on an idyllic 250-acre (101ha) site just outside the historic town of Mudurnu in northwestern Turkey, with construction costs starting around £157 million ($200m). Development began around 2011, but never reached completion…
Each of the proposed 732 residences was designed in the same whimsical architectural style, as though straight out of a storybook.
Consultant Architect Naci Yoruk has revealed that it was the clients who insisted on the distinctive château design. Needless to say, he went all-out, throwing in Disneyesque turrets, mansard roofs, dormers, balconies with stone balustrades and copious decoration.
Believe it or not, this amazing German-style residence is actually in Texas Hill Country, surrounded by lush woodlands and highland lakes.
Falkenstein Castle, as the property is known, was the brainchild of architect and developer Terry Young and his wife Kim, who fell in love with the architectural style following a trip to Bavaria in 1995 during which they reportedly came across plans for an unfinished castle that had been designed by King Ludwig II – who commissioned the iconic Neuschwanstein Castle in 1868.
The Youngs decided to bring the plans to life in their home state, spending a decade constructing the home from granite and limestone.
At 14,000 square feet (1,300sqm), the property can accommodate 14 people and is packed to the gills with impressive design details, from exposed timber beams to arched doorways, stone alcoves and statement ceilings. The castle interior also boasts over 100 pieces of artwork, including ancient cultural art, glass and other artefacts, some of which date back thousands of years.
The home is also kitted out with plenty of luxuries, including jacuzzi tubs, a ping pong table, games consoles and various arcade-style machines. There are endless living spaces for guests to utilise, as well as six bedrooms and four bathrooms.
Outside you’ll find a gorgeous garden with a beautiful koi pond and waterfall, a bubbling stream "with hidden gems and crystals" and a gazebo, where Airbnb guests can dine alfresco.
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