Calling a man's home his castle is clich, but for this $3.35 million estate in Johnson City, TN, it's a statement of fact. This 21,607-square-foot stunner was built in 1998 to mimic the great castles of Europe.
Indeed, craftsmen from Italy and Greece worked on elaborate features such as mahogany ceilings and ornate fireplaces throughout the nine-bedroom citadel, which also sports 10 full bathrooms and four half-baths.
"This castle is known throughout the world," says listing agent Bill Hall. "The [current] owner gets calls from photographers from all over the world to photograph this castle."
The exterior was designed in the style of an 18th-century Spanish castle, but inside are a British-style pub and billiard room. (The original owner was an Anglophile.) Sitting on 13 acres, the castle was built with stone from the hills of East Tennessee. The gated property also includes a security system that can be controlled from a phone app, Hall adds.
Whatever you might imagine a luxury home to have, the castle does it better or bigger.
After the majestic circular drive, visitors are greeted by 22-foot-high mahogany doors imported from France. "It looks like something you would experience in the Vatican," Hall says of the main entrance.
Looking for the kitchen? You'll find three of them: the main kitchen with granite countertops and slate flooring; an outdoor kitchen; and a staff kitchen (the home accommodates two live-in staffers).
Want to stay in and watch movies? There's a 20-seat theater. Is a master bathroom a must-have for you? The castle includes his-and-her master bathrooms as part of the master suite.
Your royal coaches (or cars) can nestle in two garages, one of which can hold up to 10 cars.
Expecting a water view? There's 750 feet of Boone Lake access.
Like observing nature? There's a five-story tower that affords views of the outdoors as far away as Virginia.
The castle's also been home to precipitous pricing drama: It was originally listed for $28.5 million in 2010, reduced to $19.5 million shortly thereafter, and eventually sold to the current owner for $3.36 million in 2011.
The castle's current dwellers planned to sell the home by auction this summer but have since backed away from that idea. So the castle sits and awaits its next lord, or lady, to ride through its gates and claim it.