Castles of New York

An architectural and historical tour of twenty-nine of New York State’s finest castles.

Often the highlight of any European vacation, castles have captured the hearts of architecture buffs and romantics for generations. However, splendid examples of the form can be found right here in New York, as award-winning photographer Scott Ian Barry shows in this architectural and historical tour of twenty-nine of his favorite castles throughout the state. Included here are such well-known destinations as Castle Gould on Long Island, Belvedere Castle in Central Park, and Frederic Edwin Church’s nineteenth-century Moorish castle Olana just south of Hudson, along with less well-known and more off-the-beaten-track structures, including Boldt Castle on Heart Island in the Thousand Islands and “Cat Rock” Castle in Garrison. In words and in stunning photographs, Barry tells us the story behind each castle, while also exploring along the way what draws him—and us—to these monumental buildings in the first place.