Most People Don't Know These 6 Castles Are Hiding In New Mexico
By Monica Spencer|Published May 31, 2020
×
Monica Spencer
Author
Monica is a Diné (Navajo) freelance writer and photographer based in the Southwest. Born in Gallup and raised in Phoenix, she is Tódich'ii'nii (Bitter Water People) and Tsi'naajinii (Black Streak Wood People). Monica is a staff writer for Only In Your State, photo editor for The Mesa Legend, and previously a staff writer for The Navajo Post. You can reach her at monica.d.spencer@gmail.com.
Cactus, chiles, and castles. When it comes to icons of New Mexico, one of those seems like it just doesn’t belong. Or does it?
Castles are perhaps the last thing you would expect to run across while traveling through New Mexico. We may not quite have buildings made of mossy stone, towers, turrets, and drawbridges, but a number of buildings around the state sure seem to look something like a typical European palace.
Painted a bright blue, this castle in Albuquerque stands out among some otherwise bland buildings. Built as a gimmick to entice customers, it has turned into a landmark building perfect for giving directions.
Ruidoso is known for its majestic forest views but did you know it also has a castle hidden in town? This building is a very unexpected find, especially considering that it is a storage building and entrance into a neighborhood.
These strange structures in Taos are actually homes constructed from natural and recycled materials with the goal of completely off-grid livability. They may look like alien structures, but these castles are some of the most unique in the state.
Have you ever wanted to tour the inside of a sand castle? Origin at Rancho de San Juan has massive sand caves, hand-carved by artist Ra Paulette, that will feel like you are wandering through a subterranean castle.
5. Montezuma Castle at United World College (Montezuma)
An international boarding school sits secluded in this tiny New Mexico town, and that's where you'll also find our next castle. Montezuma Castle was a luxury hotel and hot springs resort when it was first built in 1886, complete with 400 rooms. It changed hands several times before becoming a part of the school's campus.
This private residence was recently transformed into the new home of the largest collection of natural turquoise. Once the eccentric home of jewelry designer Gertrude Zachary, we can think of few places that would be a better fit for housing such a substantial gem collection.
Are there any other castle-like buildings you’ve seen around the state? If you have suggestions for other castle-like or even just plain strange buildings around New Mexico, be sure to send us your favorite suggestions by completing this nomination form for locations to be included in a future article.
