by Hannah Towey
This custom-built gothic castle may look like it belongs in medieval Europe — but it was really built in a Connecticut suburb in 2010.
Known as the Chrismark Castle, the 9-bedroom mansion belongs to Christopher Mark, the great-grandson of Chicago steel tycoon.
He has been trying to sell the unique property since 2014, and recently lowered his asking price from $45 million to $35 million, according to Zillow.
Complete with a moat, dungeon, and knights in shining armor, the only thing more intriguing than the castle itself is the headlines it’s made over the years.
This includes reports of an “international modeling agency” operating out of the castle that was reported to town officials in 2008, per the real estate website Curbed.
On top of the $125 per hour photoshoots, the castle was once home to a personal zoo with “ponies, emus, camels, llamas, a donkey,” the New York Post reported.
Source: The New York Post
The Chrismark Castle’s TikTok page has over 300 thousand followers and six million likes. One video with over 50 thousand views shows “red flags in the castle,” including the dungeon, a cage, and a mini tank on the property.
Source: @chrismarkcastle1
The TikToks also show the castle’s glamorous side, including parties with circus performers and pole dancers as well as a giant indoor hot tub.
Source: @chrismarkcastle1
Chrismark Castle’s halls have seen a fair amount of drama. Mark reportedly lived there with his now ex-wife and their two children until she filed for divorce in 2010.
Source: Insider
He later moved his then-pregnant girlfriend into the castle with her older daughter, but that relationship also ended and she took Mark to court over child support, per The New York Post.
Source: The New York Post
Pulitzer & National Book Award finalist Rebecca Makkai documented the castle owner’s various escapades in a Twitter thread that went viral this week with over 45,000 likes.
Source: Rebecca Makkai
The construction of the Woodstock, CT home cost $4.1 million and took seven years to build. The property also includes 75 acres of land.
The interior of Chrismark Castle is just as impressive as the stone exterior. Many rooms have custom-built doors and large windows revealing sweeping views of Potter Pond.
Overall, the castle has 18,777 square feet of space, 7 full bathrooms and 3 half-baths, according to the real estate listing.
The master bedroom has a full dressing room, fireplace, walk-in closet, and sitting area. There are 12 total fireplaces throughout the house.
There is also a massage room and a pool.
The one-of-a-kind property is “built to amaze and capture the imagination of the individual who relishes outstanding craftsmanship and superior design” and is “indeed fit for a King,” the listing says.
#Awareness, #Zillow, #Connecticut, #Castle, #Controversy, #HistoryInTheMaking, #HistoricalFacts, #InterestingFacts, #Travel, #TravelThursdays, #UnitedStates, #WhatIsGoingOnHere?
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