• A castle in Israelcastle. acre castle in israel image by L. Shat from Fotolia.com
  
  When most people think of castles, they think of the Middle Ages in Europe where lords and kings built stone fortresses to protect their populations from roving bandits and armed invasions. While America was settled after the castle-building frenzy of the medieval period, there are still a number of castles that were built in the New World as a testament to wealth and power, rather than as defense. Many of these "castles" can be found in Rhode Island as well.
  
  

Belcourt Castle

• Perhaps the most famous castle in Rhode Island is Belcourt Castle. This castle is found in Newport, R.I., and was the "summer cottage" of Oliver Belcourt. The castle is built in a montage of different European styles, though it focuses most on the French and Gothic styles that were still popular in the late 1800s when it was built. This "cottage" was originally meant to be used only a handful of weeks out of the year, but now it's one of the most famous American castles, even though it wasn't built for defense.
  
  Belcourt Castle
  657 Bellevue Ave.
  Newport, RI 02840-4280
  (401) 846-0669
  belcourtcastle.com
  
  

The Breakers

• Another of the famous "summer cottages," as many of these castles in Rhode Island were referred to as, is known as The Breakers. This castle was finished in 1877 and was built and owned by the famous Vanderbilt family, who made much money in steamships and the railroad. This particular manor house (what most castles that weren't meant for defense are called) was heavily influenced by the Italian Renaissance style. This castle is currently open to the public and managed by a historical preservation society.
  
  The Breakers
  Ochre Point Avenue
  Newport, RI 02840
  (401) 847-1000
  newportmansions.org
  
  

Ochre Court

• The third famous castle in Rhode Island, which is also located in Newport, is called Ochre Court. The name conjures images from a storybook, and the house doesn't disappoint that imagery. Finished in the year 1892, Ochre Court was commissioned by Ogden Goelet, who was a wealthy and successful banker. The "cottage" was meant as a summer home for his family. The structure is built of limestone, and it's also heavily influenced by the French style of castle architecture. Currently Ochre Court is the heart of Salve Regina University.
  
  Ochre Court
  100 Ochre Point Ave.
  Newport, RI 02840-4192
  (401) 847-6650
  salve.edu/virtualtour/buildings/ochre_court.html