Castle Mont Rouge
The castle in 2009
General information
StatusUnder construction
Address957 Mountain Brook Rd Rougemont, North Carolina, 27572
Town or cityRougemont, North Carolina
CountryUnited States
Coordinates36°14′22″N 78°54′47″W / 36.23958°N 78.91303°W / 36.23958; -78.91303
Named forRed Mountain
Groundbreaking2000
Design and construction
Architect(s)Robert Mihaly

Castle Mont Rouge is a castle located on Red Mountain in Rougemont, North Carolina, north of Durham.[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8] The castle was designed by American sculptor Robert Mihaly, known for his work at Duke University and the National Cathedral, as a private residence and country studio.[9] The design was based on architecture from Central and Eastern Europe, complete with 18 pinnacles and a turret.[10][8]

Robert Mihaly began construction of Castle Mont Rouge without a blueprint in the year 2000.[11][4][12][13] He lived in one of the finished rooms and was joined by long-time partner, Caroline Smith, whom he met in 2003 and who described living there as "whimsical fun, enigmatic, and romantic".[4][5][6][7]

The castle was abandoned in 2006,[6] although a fundraising campaign featuring Mihaly's two children was launched to fund renovating it in 2014. The castle was still abandoned as of 2016.[14][15][16][17] Mihaly began restoring the castle in 2017, citing his desire to finish it while his children are still children.[8][4][5][7]

The castle has been cited as a Disney-like fairytale castle,[18][19] an abandoned or deserted castle,[20] a quirky North Carolina destination,[21] and the most bizarre building in North Carolina.[22]

Much rumor and lore has been built around Castle Mont Rouge and its creator, Robert Mihaly.[4][5][6][7][23] Mihaly referenced the rumor about the death of his wife in a televised news story, acknowledging that he is not a widower.[4][5][7]

References

  1. "ROUGEMONT CASTLE". Archived from the original on April 16, 2016. Retrieved May 1, 2016.
  2. "BarrowImages Photography – A Lonely Castle Named Mont Rouge". When the Image is Everything.
  3. "Castle Mont Rough".
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 The News and Observer, "A castle? A Work of Art? Mont Rouge is a labor of love", Adrianne Cleven, 3 Nov 2019, 1D
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 The Herald Sun, “Castle Mont Rouge in Rougemont is art oddity, labor of love”, Adrianne Cleven, 3 Nov 2019, 1A.
  6. 1 2 3 4 The Roxboro Courier-Times, "Castle Mont Rouge offers Magic for Many", Cameron Beach, 31 Dec 2019, IA
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 WRAL (November 17, 2019). "Sculptor hopes to turn Rougemont castle into public venue". WRAL.com. Retrieved July 6, 2023.
  8. 1 2 3 "Hidden Triangle: Abandoned castle offers taste of Russia". ABC11 Raleigh-Durham. Retrieved July 6, 2023.
  9. "Our Secret Spots". Duke Today.
  10. "Design | Diane Lea | Historic Bath Celebrates 300th Birthday". Archived from the original on July 16, 2011. Retrieved May 1, 2016.
  11. The Durham News (N&O), A Castle Takes Shape in Rougemont, Elizabeth Shestak, Nov 3–4, 2007. pg. A.1
  12. "Castle Mont Rouge" Rougemont Reporter, Summer, 2006.
  13. Blackburn, C. "Turrets and Towers Tar Heel Style." Our State, May 2006.
  14. "Castle Seeks Worthy Knights & Princesses". Kickstarter.
  15. "Indeedia – Castle Mont Rouge Abandoned Castle North Carolina". Indeedia. Archived from the original on May 30, 2016. Retrieved May 1, 2016.
  16. "Castle Mont Rouge". Atlas Obscura.
  17. "Eight Castles Hiding in North Carolina". OnlyInYourState. March 27, 2021.
  18. "15 Deserted Castles Straight Out Of Fairytales (10 We Can Actually Visit)". TheTravel. December 9, 2018.
  19. "10 Disney-like castles you need to know about - News Patrolling". Dailyhunt.
  20. "Best creepy abandoned castle". INDY Week. June 8, 2016.
  21. Russell, Shawndra (June 14, 2018). "11 Quirky North Carolina Destinations for Curious Travelers". Culture Trip.
  22. McGauley, Joe (March 2, 2015). "The Most Bizarre Building In All 50 States". Thrillist.
  23. "This Hidden, Abandoned Castle in North Carolina Has a Mysterious Past". July 22, 2016.
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