Idaho’s Most Unusual Listing: A Pair of Medieval Castles Complete With a Dungeon and Drawbridge
The imposing stone structures, with towers, turrets and a hot tub room, lord over the landscape near the mountain resort town of Sandpoint.
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Idaho is not a place that’s often associated with Medieval castles, but a pair have just hit the market for $6.25 million.
The imposing stone structures have towers, turrets, ramparts, arrow-slit windows and even a drawbridge, and might just be the most authentic-looking castles this side of the Atlantic.
“Who expects to see a castle like this in Idaho?” said listing agent Brenda Burk of Coldwell Banker Schneidmiller Realty, who brought the property to the market last week. They are, she said, “extremely unusual.”
Schweitzer Castle and Château de Melusine, as they’re known, stand within Schweitzer Mountain Resort in the Selkirk Mountains and overlook the nearby mountain resort town of Sandpoint. They take in panoramic views of Lake Pend Oreille, Idaho’s largest lake.
The pair of ski-in/ski-out homes each have three bedrooms, two bathrooms and three stories, Burk explained. They are “so authentic,” she said. “Every single stone was handlaid.”
Schweitzer Castle, she said, wasn’t built for “functionality,” but has been modernized and adapted and now has everything a 21st-century residence requires, along with a dungeon, which for some buyers may also be a requisite.
The chateau, meanwhile, has a hot tub room with mountain views, as well as a garage.
The property is being sold furnished, and will come complete with the hand-carved statues, armor, mounted swords, stained-glass windows and a host of antiques dating to the 15th and 16th centuries.
The owner, an antique collector who couldn’t be reached for comment, “is always looking for that hidden jewel and he found that here,” Burk said.
The next custodian is likely to stem from a varied pool of buyers, Burk said, that would include “the trophy-home buyer, someone who can say ‘I own a castle.’”
The property could also appeal to someone looking for a vacation home, or a multi-generational estate, and beyond that “there’s the dreamers,” she said. “We definitely try to market to people who like Medieval history or maybe do Renaissance fairs.”
The seller “really wants it to go to someone with the same passion.”
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A record-breaking $11 million sale at The Centennial Collection has set a new benchmark for luxury apartment living in Bondi Junction.
As interest rates, inflation and market sentiment fluctuate, investors are being urged to focus on data, not panic.
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Developer-builder Level 33 has achieved a new benchmark in Kiama’s prestige property market, securing a record-setting $6 million sale of the penthouse in its exclusive boutique development, Elan Kiama. The result establishes a new apartment price record for Kiama.
Perched on one of the highest points in Kiama, Elan captures sweeping, uninterrupted ocean views and represents a rare offering of refined coastal living in a tightly held enclave. Designed by award-winning PBD Architects, the project embodies a philosophy of timeless architecture, minimalist luxury and an enduring connection to its coastal surrounds.
Comprising just 19 expansive three-bedroom residences and one breathtaking penthouse, Elan has been meticulously curated for those who value privacy, space and sophisticated design. The development is positioned on a quiet street in the heart of Kiama, offering a secluded yet highly connected lifestyle just moments from Surf Beach, Kendall Beach, the town centre, boutique retail and harbourside dining.
The record-setting penthouse spans an extraordinary 468sqm in total, featuring three bedrooms plus study room, each with its own ensuite, as well as a powder room, butler’s pantry, walk-in laundry, built-in bar, fireplace, wine fridge, and a sculptural kitchen anchored by a Taj Mahal-stone island benchtop. Premium Gaggenau appliances further elevate the culinary experience.
A defining feature of the residence is its expansive outdoor living, including three separate balconies, one of which is exceptionally large, alongside a private plunge pool that reinforces the home’s resort-like atmosphere and seamless indoor-outdoor flow.
The purchasers, a local couple who have lived in Kiama for the past 10 years, who wished to remain anonymous, said the decision reflected both lifestyle, design sophistication and location.
“It’s a lifestyle choice. We’re downsizing with elegance,” she said.
“We actually saw the advertising of Elan and saw where they were building, walking past it. We ran into the agent in town and we went and met with him. It had to be ocean front. We currently live in a large coastal home which takes in ocean and
mountain views which we haven’t decided what we’ll do with just yet.
“The magnificent views, the sense of community, and the people here make Kiama truly special. It’s a welcoming, caring place. It’s a busy coastal town, but it’s still small. We have access to everything we need nearby in Shellharbour, but Kiama itself has so much natural beauty – the ocean views, the lighthouse, the beautiful harbour, the whales, the mountains.”
The buyer said the architecture, with “beautiful curves”, and the modern fixtures including Gaggenau appliances, were also key to the purchase.
“We looked at other properties, but nothing compared to it. It was perfect. It ticked all our boxes.”
The local couple who own a business in the Riverina, are looking forward to entertaining and enjoying their stunning new home with friends and family including their grandchildren. “It’s large enough to fit all of us.”
Level 33 Founding Managing Director, Eddy Haddad, said the team is “incredibly proud” of what they’ve created.
“From day one, the focus has been on delivering a building with exceptional design, quality finishes and homes that people genuinely want to live in. Seeing that excitement reflected in our future residents is what drives us, and it's rewarding to know people share the same vision and appreciation for the quality we’ve worked so hard to deliver.
“We believe this will be a building with a real sense of community, where residents feel proud to call it
home for years to come.”
A cluster of century-old warehouses beneath the Harbour Bridge has been transformed into a modern workplace hub, now home to more than 100 businesses.
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