# Where is this castle-like structure? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 19, 2010, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-this-castle-like-structure/557619 "2010-10-19T02:55:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Leiko](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Leiko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leiko)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2010, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-this-castle-like-structure/557619/1 "2010-10-19T02:55:47Z")
> **[Cleolinda everywhere](https://cleolinda.tumblr.com/post/1299412529)** > > \She/her. Classy dame, sparkle consultant, vampire enthusiast, sapphic bi disaster, Fandom Old. \https://linktr.ee/cleolindajones\\ On tumblr, Cleolinda posted a picture of a pretty awesome [decaying castley-tower thing](http://cleolinda.tumblr.com/post/1299412529) in the middle of the field. I followed back the reblog links only to discover that the original poster attached no info to the picture. Sad. So: where is it? Even vague ideas based on architecture are okay, though I’d like a concrete answer ideally. ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2010, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-this-castle-like-structure/557619/2 "2010-10-19T03:36:29Z")
It looks kinda fake to me. (But no doubt someone will soon be in to say they live round the corner from it.) ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2010, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-this-castle-like-structure/557619/3 "2010-10-19T03:38:14Z")
Me, too. It doesn’t look like it’s very stable at all. Certainly not so that it would stand as long as it looks like it has. I’m guessing Photoshop. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2010, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-this-castle-like-structure/557619/4 "2010-10-19T03:47:36Z")
Actually, let me edit that. It actually does look stable, once you subtract the hanging towers…the structure itself is straight rectangular. The hanging towers make it look like it’s top heavy. It may be a folly, rather than a real castle. It looks like the upper floors are open to the air. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2010, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-this-castle-like-structure/557619/5 "2010-10-19T03:51:04Z")
That was my thought as well - a folly. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2010, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-this-castle-like-structure/557619/6 "2010-10-19T04:32:39Z")
Looks Italian to me. Like something out of Romeo and Juliet. ---
**Author:** ![Savannah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b3f665/32.png) [@Savannah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Savannah)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2010, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-this-castle-like-structure/557619/7 "2010-10-19T05:17:11Z")
[tineye.com](http://tineye.com) wasn’t helpful, alas. ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2010, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-this-castle-like-structure/557619/8 "2010-10-19T05:31:57Z")
Looking at it in Photoshop, I detect no obvious artiface, no editing or compositing. It appears to be a legit photograph, or an extremely good fake. My take is that this is a real photograph. ---
**Author:** ![Leiko](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Leiko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leiko)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2010, 5:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-this-castle-like-structure/557619/9 "2010-10-19T05:38:24Z")
I figured it was probably a folly, if it was real, but I don’t know enough about architecture (I hardly know anything) to even give a guess as to the era or area. ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2010, 5:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-this-castle-like-structure/557619/10 "2010-10-19T05:55:50Z")
The earliest posting date I saw attached to this photo was 9/9/2010 at [http://www.jeremyley.com/blog/](http://www.jeremyley.com/blog/) No idea where he got it, but I have to say I love the next photo below it. ---
**Author:** ![ratmanizhere](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b5ac83/32.png) [@ratmanizhere](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ratmanizhere)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2010, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-this-castle-like-structure/557619/11 "2010-10-19T05:58:29Z")
gimme a few days and I might be able to find out if it’s real or not. If it’s real, might be able to find it’s location. ---
**Author:** ![goldmund](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a4c791/32.png) [@goldmund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/goldmund)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2010, 7:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-this-castle-like-structure/557619/12 "2010-10-19T07:09:40Z")
I think it may be one of these [Diaolou - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaiping_Diaolou) in China. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2010, 8:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-this-castle-like-structure/557619/13 "2010-10-19T08:17:29Z")
I think **teletype** is right on the money. I can’t find a pic of the same one as in the pic, but the most photographed [Kaiping Watchtowers](http://www.paulstravelblog.com/2008/01/hong-kong-quicktrip-kaiping-diaolou.html) look very similar. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_Robson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gary_robson/32/3448_2.png) [@Gary\_Robson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Robson)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2010, 11:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-this-castle-like-structure/557619/14 "2010-10-19T11:45:09Z")
It looks similar to a structure I saw in a documentary about the architecture of the British Isles. Unfortunately, I don’t think that documentary is available in the U.S., and it’s been a while since I’ve seen it, so I don’t remember details. I think it was from the BBC. ---
**Author:** ![Sparky812](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eb9ed0/32.png) [@Sparky812](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sparky812)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2010, 11:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-this-castle-like-structure/557619/15 "2010-10-19T11:48:39Z")
Yes, I believe Teletype is correct. If you google image search you’ll see hundreds of similar structures. I have not found the one in question but some are really fascinating, like [here](http://www.google.ca/imgres?imgurl=http://portal.unesco.org/en/files/38378/1182352720330204619_100.jpg/30204619_100.jpg&imgrefurl=http://portal.unesco.org/en/ev.php-URL_ID%3D38378%26URL_DO%3DDO_TOPIC%26URL_SECTION%3D201.html&usg=__vj1bloeB_GFrVuVoYrq3jwvXYVg=&h=100&w=100&sz=3&hl=en&start=125&zoom=1&itbs=1&tbnid=3-jDurXNDUCl3M:&tbnh=82&tbnw=82&prev=/images%3Fq%3DKaiping%2BDiaolou%26start%3D120%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN%26gbv%3D2%26ndsp%3D20%26tbs%3Disch:1). ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2010, 11:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-this-castle-like-structure/557619/16 "2010-10-19T11:59:04Z")
My guess is an English folly. It does have an Italian styling, but that hardly means anything since Italian styling was fashionable all over Europe. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2010, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-this-castle-like-structure/557619/17 "2010-10-19T12:52:02Z")
It does resemble a kaiping diaolou in shape, but the styling really does look Italianate rather than Chinese - compare the details with those on Google Images. Could the manner in which the crops have been harvested give a clue? What are the plants? That looks like hand reaping to me. Could it be Mughal? ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2010, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-this-castle-like-structure/557619/18 "2010-10-19T13:19:06Z")
Hmm, I take that back. [This image](http://www.flickr.com/photos/42830040@N05/4010483685/lightbox/) looks like it has the same arches and the lower windows have a similar design to the one in the OP. Damn, I want to see these things now. They’re only near Hong Kong too so do-able in a day trip. ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2010, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-this-castle-like-structure/557619/19 "2010-10-19T14:15:42Z")
> [@jjimm](#): > > Hmm, I take that back. [This image](http://www.flickr.com/photos/42830040@N05/4010483685/lightbox/) looks like it has the same arches and the lower windows have a similar design to the one in the OP. > > Damn, I want to see these things now. They’re only near Hong Kong too so do-able in a day trip. I find myself agreeing with you. ---
**Author:** ![goldmund](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a4c791/32.png) [@goldmund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/goldmund)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2010, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-this-castle-like-structure/557619/20 "2010-10-19T22:58:25Z")
OK, I’ve had a bit of a look around now. Didn’t feel like it last night as I was posting from my phone. Here’s another [picture](http://img2.auyou.cn/images/glimage/2009/01/C98E8913-7D87-A587-A638D50C8AE13E1F.jpg)of the building in question. It looks like it is indeed a Diaolou. That picture is from [this page](http://www.auyou.cn/experienceinfo-4648.html). I don’t read or speak Chinese, anyone care to have a go? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-this-castle-like-structure/557619.md?page=2)