Miramont Castle and Broadmoor Hotel

Miramont Castle (French for “look at the mountains “) was constructed in 1895 and add to in 1897. It was built for a French Priest and his mother.  They only lived there for around eight years before returning to France.  The Sisters of Mercy purchased it and used it for a Sanitarium and later as a retreat and summer home. In 1946 it was sold to investors and turned into apartments for returning soldiers of WWII. It changed hands 11 times in the ensuing years.  In 1976 the Monitou Historical Society was formed to save the  building from condemnation and destruction.

It is built up the side is the mountain so that each of the four floors has a ground level opening.  It has 30 rooms, featuring 9 architectural styles including English Tudor, Romanesque, Moorish, and Byzantine. One room has 8 sides and another has 16 sides.  When constructed it included electricity and in-door plumbing.

There is a chapel, a great hall for the display of artwork, servants quarters, dining room, a conservatory, and a solarium.  A shoe was found in the rafters that was placed there by the builders as a charm to protect the occupants from evil demons or witches. 

We strolled through old town Manitou Springs and also visited the Broadmoor Hotel, a famous and huge hotel complex. Interesting place..