A Medieval Fortress in the Making Open to Public

Jill Rohrbach, travel writer
Arkansas Tourism

Limestone walls rise from an Arkansas Ozark hillside marking the birth of what will be -- in 20 years -- a spectacular castle. Michel Guyot and Noémi Brunet, the French couple building the Ozark Medieval Fortress, opened in the spring of 2010 their dream fortification in the heartland of America.

Workers clad in the authentic garb and using materials and techniques of the 13th century are building a genuine medieval castle in the Arkansas Ozark Mountains near the town of Lead Hill. A team of historians, architectural experts, and passionate builders are constructing the castle with 24-feet-high towers, a drawbridge, moats, and 6-foot-wide stone walls surrounding an inner yard.

Construction started in the fall of 2009, but was not meant to be finished when the attraction opened. Part of the allure is watching 30 masons, carpenters, lumberjacks, and stone carvers work to complete the castle with only medieval tools. The project is supervised by Franco-American scientists with special knowledge of the Middle Ages. It is not an amusement park, but an educational, environmental and scientific attraction venue.

This socio-historic project is the brainchild of Michel Guyot, who launched a similar concept in Burgundy, France 10 years ago with great success. The idea to build a fortress in Arkansas was born when a French couple who had relocated to the United States visited the Castle of Saint-Fargeau in central France and met owner Guyot. After discussion, they realized that there were no fortified American castles in the United States and decided to start the castle project, not as a vision of an event in American history, but as a rich and unique educational treasure.

Along with watching the builders, visitors can view other artisans producing tools such as the rope needed for measurement and construction. The fortress also accepts volunteers interested in experiencing and helping with construction. Special events will be offered each year, including demonstrations of catapults starting in 2011. Admission is $12 for adults, $8 for kids, and free for ages 5 and under.