Celebrities Who Basically Live in Castles

Some celebrities don’t stop at mansions. They buy full-blown castles. We’re talking turrets, towers, stone walls, private chapels—the kind of places that look like they belong in a movie, but they’re real homes. These aren’t sets or backdrops for weddings. People actually live in them.

A few inherited theirs. Others tracked them down across the world and poured millions into restoring every square inch. Either way, each one has a story—and in most cases, a whole lot of square footage. Here are 10 celebrities who went all-in on castle living.

Enya and Her Castle in Killiney, Ireland

Since the late 1990s, Enya has been quietly residing in a castle perched in Killiney, just south of Dublin. It’s a Victorian‑style manor built in the 1840s, featuring crenellated turrets, sweeping gardens, and even a tunnel—now sealed—that once led to the sea. She bought the place for around €3.8 million and’s kept a surprisingly low profile there.

Jensen Ackles’ Connecticut Castle

You might know Jensen Ackles from Supernatural—but did you know he snagged a 100‑year‑old castle in Connecticut? The house is massive: about 19,000 square feet, with nine bedrooms, 15 bathrooms, its own movie theater, wine‑tasting room, library, and ballroom. It’s part of a larger estate once valued at nearly $50 million.

Adrien Brody’s Stone Barn Castle

Adrien Brody has one of the more compelling castle stories. He lives in what’s called Stone Barn Castle in upstate New York. Built in 1906, it was originally a dairy farm that later burned and sat empty for decades. Brody bought and has been restoring it since 2007, and it’s not open to the public.

Dominic West and Glin Castle in Ireland

Dominic West, who plays a king in The Crown, is living real‑life royalty: his wife inherited Glin Castle in Limerick. The couple splits time between London and Ireland while working to restore the estate, which spans over 400 acres and has been in the FitzGerald family for centuries.

Christie Brinkley’s “Castle” in the Hamptons

Christie Brinkley turned an 11‑bedroom, 20‑acre estate in Bridgehampton into something people call a “castle.” She bought the Tower Hill house in 1998, and over the years it’s become a family anchor. With chicken coops, greenhouses, and sentimental tweaks, she’s hard‑pressed to sell because her kids love it so much.

The British Royal Family and Their Castles

Let’s not forget the royals: they’ve practically cornered the castle market. Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle, Balmoral, and more make up a sprawling portfolio valued near $33 billion. These places are more than homes—they’re centuries of history, public life, and family life all rolled into one.

Hearst Castle – The Media Mogul’s Hilltop Retreat

Hearst Castle isn’t owned by Hearst anymore—it’s a museum now—but William Randolph Hearst lived like people live in a castle. From 1919 to 1947, he built a la Cuesta Encantada in California with Julia Morgan. It was part museum, part home, where he entertained Hollywood’s elite: Chaplin, Gable, Churchill—you name it.

Johnny Depp’s French Village Estate

Not exactly a one‑building castle, but close enough for our list: Johnny Depp purchased an old Provençal hamlet in France back in 2001. Think 19th‑century village with stone buildings, winding lanes. He didn’t just own a house—he owned a whole historic village near Saint‑Tropez.

Alexander Lebedev’s Umbrian Castle

Over in Italy, former KGB agent and oligarch Alexander Lebedev owns a 15th-century castle near Umbria’s Monte Tezio called Castello di Santa Eurasia. It’s spacious—around 30,000 square feet—and has hosted politicians and celebrities alike.

*This article was developed with AI-powered tools and has been carefully reviewed by our editors.