Gothic architecture, an architectural style that was popular in Europe from the late 12th to the 16th century, is one of the most ornate you'll find. Heavily associated with spooky tales, it often leaves an impression.
We've gathered some of our favourite Gothic homes here, from properties dressed floor-to-ceiling in black to mesmerising mansions that appear plucked from the pages of Dracula.
Click or scroll to explore these ghoulish homes that are sure to bring out your darker side...
Hadlow Tower is one of the world's tallest Gothic follies. Standing at 175 feet high (53.3m), the enchanting Grade 1 listed tower has over 200 years of history behind its towering structure.
While most 19th-century follies were erected to impress the neighbours, this one was built by a local landowner and merchant, Walter May, out of spite.
Local folk tales tell that May's wife had left him for another man, and so, in 1838, he built the tower alongside his father's family home (Hadlow Castle), so he could watch his wife as she lived with a local farmer.
Even without the folklore behind it, Hadlow Tower is impressive. Its neighbouring Hadlow Castle was an 18th-century country house in Kent, built in the fashionable Strawberry Hill 'Gothic' style.
The house was gradually enlarged and extended during the 19th century, but was finally demolished in the 20th century, leaving behind its prospect tower and ancillary buildings. The tower, also known as May's Folly, was damaged in a great storm in 1987, but fully restored in 2013.
With over 4000 square feet (371.6sqm) of family living space, inside you will find a dining room, kitchen/breakfast room, castle drawing room, master bedroom with ensuite bathroom, and three further bedrooms and bathrooms.
Luckily, there’s a lift to the principal living accommodation, and you can take one of the two turret staircases to a media room and a roof terrace. The upper tower spiral staircase takes you to the observation deck, which offers 360-degree panoramic views of the Kent countryside.
Once on the market for $3.7 million (£2.8m), you can now stay the night in Hadlow Tower as it's available on Airbnb.
When famous tattoo artist Kat Von D listed her Gothic mansion in January 2022, the property went viral almost immediately, but not because of the home's dramatic façade or stunning interior.
The house mainly gained interest because of its blood-red swimming pool. Let's take a tour and check out this seriously cool garden feature!
The magnificent mansion lies in the Hancock Park neighbourhood of Los Angeles, California, and was purchased by Von D in November 2016 for $6.5 million (£5.3m).
The three-storey Queen Anne Victorian was built in 1896 by the American businessman, Isaac Newton Van Nuys.
Amazingly, the beautiful home was actually picked up and moved to its current location in 1915 by Isaac's son, J. Benton Van Nuys. Spanning 12,565 square feet (1,167sqm), it's overflowing with striking design elements and Gothic décor.
Yet it's all about the backyard! The estate is enclosed by black and gold railings and boasts a stunning landscaped garden, as well as that ultra-cool, blood-red pool.
Far from being a gimmick to attract buyers, it's clear from Von D's Instagram that the pool is a permanent fixture. The spooky home hit the market for a cool $15 million (£11.2m) but was later reduced to $12.5 million (£9.3m).
It finally sold in March 2023 for $7.75 million (£5.7m).
Considered one of the most-photographed homes in the world, this incredible piece of architecture not only has a one-of-a-kind facade but an amazing history.
After making his fortune as a redwood lumber baron, William Carson commissioned the dramatic Gothic-style Carson Mansion in 1885. It lies on a prominent lot in the Old Town historic district of Eureka, California, and has quickly become an iconic attraction within the city.
A fine example of Victorian design, the four-storey, 18-room residence boasts a soaring tower, while its aesthetic references Gothic, Italian and French architecture. Inside, things are equally as dazzling.
Colourful 19th-century artistry can be found throughout, including the ornate central staircase that lies in the foyer, with its mahogany frame and vibrant stained glass panels. Other details include oak and cherry mouldings, carved onyx fireplaces, gilt mirrors and period wallpapers.
According to sources, the house saw three generations of the Carson family live there until it was sold in 1950 for $35,000, which is around $1.9 million (£1.4m) in today's money.
In the 1940s, the residence had been in danger of being demolished when the last of the Carson family vacated Eureka. Since then, the mansion has been masterfully restored to its original splendour and transformed into an esteemed private members' institution known as The Ingomar Club.
With a name like The Witch House, it's easy to understand why this formidable residence has gained somewhat of a reputation.
In iconic Salem, Massachusetts, the property was once the home of Jonathan Corwin, one of the judges involved in the Salem witch trials of 1692.
As one of the most important historical buildings in America, it's also the only structure in the city with direct ties to the now infamous witch hunt era.
The property was built around 1675, and Corwin snapped it up. 16 years later, he took on a crucial role in the witch hunt. More than 200 people were accused of being witches. 13 of those were found guilty by numerous judges, while 19 were executed for their supposed crimes.
This house has inadvertently become synonymous with the huge and shocking miscarriage of justice that occurred between February 1692 and May 1693.
Today, the property is a museum that's open seven days a week for self-guided tours. As soon as visitors step inside, they're instantly transported back to the 17th century, thanks to the wonderful preserved state of the building.
Through its architecture, furnishings and trinkets, all from Corwin's era, those brave enough to head inside will be able to gain a deeper understanding of what life was like when the witch trials took place.
The rooms are hauntingly lived-in, with this bedroom still boasting its linen (and is that a Buffy the Vampire Slayer-style stake on the bed?), the kitchen table still laid with crockery and cups, and the interior details seeming as if they haven't been touched in centuries.
Although eerie, this important historical home is undoubtedly special.
Aptly named the Winchester Mystery House, this colossal mansion in San Jose, California, is often described as one of the strangest homes in America, and for very good reason! With a long and fascinating history, the unusual house was extended and renovated over 36 years, but to this day, it remains unfinished.
So what happened, and how did this dream home turn into a real estate disaster?
The impressive stately home was bought in 1885 by Sarah Winchester, the heir to a gun manufacturing firm. The original property was a fairly nondescript eight-bedroom farmhouse, but she decided to turn it into something a little more lavish.
By the time she died in 1922, the property had become a vast 161-room mansion that extended 24,000 square feet (2,229sqm). Apparently, Winchester employed a team of contractors to work day and night on the house, spending a reported $5.5 million (£4m) in the process.
Rumour has it that Winchester’s obsession with the number 13 influenced many of her odd design decisions. There are 13 steps on each staircase, 13 panels in every wall and 13 lights in each chandelier.
In 1924, famous illusionist Harry Houdini visited the residence and dubbed it 'The Mystery House', which helped elevate the property to icon status.
Today, Winchester Mystery House is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and operates as a museum. Inside, visitors can take in the home's unusual interior design and network of shadowy passages, twisting staircases and clandestine doors.
There's no denying that this imposing Gothic mansion is one of the finest historic homes we've ever seen.
Standing proud on a beautifully landscaped, double corner lot in Stillwater, Minnesota, The Castle House has quickly become one of the most iconic homes in the city.
From its all-black exterior to its four-storey central spired tower, this fairytale residence is one that Cruella de Vil, Maleficent and The Evil Queen would be proud to call home.
The romantic Gothic Revival, Second Empire Victorian home was constructed in 1872 for James Castle, a city attorney, Minnesota senator, and U.S. representative.
Castle is said to have been influenced by similar mansions found in Washington, DC, and the home was expertly crafted to meet his exacting standards.
In 2015, the home's then-owners undertook a four-year, award-winning home renovation, transforming the historic mansion into a juxtaposition of old and new.
There’s a light-filled hallway, a formal living room, a stunning chef’s kitchen, four bedrooms and three-and-a-half bathrooms. The home also has a few added extras, including three covered porches, a large second-floor deck that sits above the restored front porch, and a secret underground tunnel that no doubt harbours plenty of secrets.
If only walls could talk! The property was listed for sale in June 2019 and quickly sold for $765,000 (£627k), which we can't help but think is an absolute steal. If living like Dracula is wrong, when we don't want to be right!
The House of the Seven Gables is probably best known today as the inspiration for world-renowned American author Nathaniel Hawthorne’s 1851 novel of the same name.
The house that inspired him was built in 1668 by merchant and ship-owner John Turner. He built the house on Salem Harbor. and now it is a National Historic Landmark District.
Painted in a spooky black, it makes quite the impression...
Facing south towards Salem Harbor, the home was originally a two-room house with a projecting front porch and a massive central chimney.
This portion now forms the middle of the house. Four windows of the original ground-floor room (which became a dining room) remain in the house's side wall.
Surrounded by pretty gardens, the Turner family lived in the house for generations, until their fates changed.
After John Turner III lost the family fortune, the house was acquired by the Ingersolls, who remodelled it. Gables were removed, porches replaced, and Georgian trim added.
In 1910, Salem activist and philanthropist Caroline Emmerton restored the house and opened it as a museum and Settlement House to support the local immigrant community. This photo, taken in 1961, shows the interiors, which are kept in immaculate historical order, even to this day.
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