Culture & ArtsArtsgraffitistreet art

Street Artists Turn An Old Scottish Castle Into A Psychedelic Graffiti Haven

We Want To Live Forever In This Psychedelic Graffiti Castle
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Arts and Culture Reporter, HuffPost

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Dear readers, riddle me this: What's the only thing cooler than a Scottish castle? A Scottish castle covered in psychedelic graffiti, of course.

Allow us to introduce the Kelburn Castle, a 13th century building located 35 miles outside Glasgow. As you may notice, it has quite the unusual facade. The royal housing unit was revamped by Brazilian street artists in 2007, when the Earl of Glasgow, Patrick Boyle, learned he had to remove a cement render that had been added to the building in the 1950s. At the request of his son, he resolved to paint the render prior to its removal. He enlisted artists Nina Pandolfo, Nunca and Os Gêmeos to cover the castle in cartoonish and chromatic designs that could make many a head spin.

It was an unprecedented artistic move that fused the ephemeral, urban culture of street art with the traditional, permanent and rural character of the castle, creating a timeless paradox of visual beauty. "It is a project of contrasts and collaboration that bridges between cultures, rural and urban realms and unites two proud and very different cultures," explains the Kelburn Estate.

The work was originally permitted to exist for only three years, but because of its wildly popular following and the devotion of The Earl, the graffiti feast has managed to hang on for far longer. Unfortunately, a 2012 inspection revealed that the cement was causing damage to the castle's original walls and should be removed, according to the BBC. The graffiti will likely be removed in the summer of 2015, but there is hope. The castle's owners, the Earl and his son David, plan to hold a contest for architects and designers to create equally stunning visuals to live on the castle exterior -- visuals that don't do damage to the castle itself.

If you've ever dreamed of decking out a medieval castle in contemporary street art style, this is your (probably, one and only) chance. In any case, you best be buying your ticket to Glasgow to see this rare street art treasure before it's gone. And for an equally magical experience, check out this New York farmhouse turned rainbow playground.

Jeff J Mitchell via Getty Images
Jeff J Mitchell via Getty Images
Jeff J Mitchell via Getty Images
Jeff J Mitchell via Getty Images
Jeff J Mitchell via Getty Images
Jeff J Mitchell via Getty Images
Jeff J Mitchell via Getty Images
Jeff J Mitchell via Getty Images

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Before You Go

10 Architectural Landmarks You Have To Visit Before You Die
Sagrada Familia Basilica (Barcelona, Spain)(01 of10)
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Designed by Antoni Gaudi in 1882.
"The Sagrada Familia church might be called one of the strangest monuments of the Catholic faith." (credit:(Image: Album / Art Resource, NY))
Taj Mahal (Agra, India)(02 of10)
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Built by Shah Jehan in 1648.
"The monument and its gardens carry a clear evocation of paradise as defined in the Quran and Islamic symbolism. Indeed, verses from the Quran inlaid in stone adorn both the gates and the Taj Mahal itself." (credit:(Image: Vanni / Art Resource, NY))
Red Square (Moscow, Russia)(03 of10)
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Dates back to Ivan the Great's reign circa 1440.
"It's colorful name, Krasnaya Ploshchad in Russian, dates from 1661 and is apparently related to the double meaning of the word krasnaya, which can translate as either 'red' or 'beautiful.'" (credit:(Image: HIP / Art Resource, NY))
Palace of Versailles (Versailles, France)(04 of10)
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Designed by architect Louis Le Vau, among others, in 1670.
"The Chateau de Versailles, one of the most extravagant architectural endeavors of the French monarchy, started life as a relatively modest hunting lodge located 12.5 miles southwest of Paris." (credit:(Image: © RMN-Grand Palais / Art Resource, NY))
St. Peter's Basilica (Rome, Italy)(05 of10)
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Designed by Michelangelo, among others, and completed in 1626.
"Work on the new basilica lasted 120 years and cost so much that the sale of 'indulgences' contributed to increasing religious opposition to the Roman Catholic church and to the rise of Martin Luther." (credit:(Image: Erich Lessing / Art Resource, NY))
Great Wall (China)(06 of10)
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220 B.C. to 1644 A.D.
"A testimony to the history and culture of one of the greatest nations, the Great Wall is the clearest proof that architecture and civiliation are intimately linked." (credit:(Image: Erich Lessing / Art Resource, NY))
Fatehpur Sikri Palace (Fatehpur Sikri, India)(07 of10)
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Built by Jalal'ud-Din Muhammad Akbar in 1572-85.
"Despite the apparent rigor of the [building's] design, the forms and plans employed are a mixture of Hindu, Persian and Indo-Muslim inspiration, in effect creating a new Mughal style." (credit:(Image: SEF / Art Resource, NY))
Al-Azhar Mosque (Cairo, Egypt)(08 of10)
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972
"It is rare that a single monument embodies and symbolizes the history of a great city, and yet this is surely the case of Al-Azhar Mosque in Cairo." (credit:(Image: Erich Lessing / Art Resource, NY))
Forbidden City (Beijing, China)(09 of10)
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Constructed under the orders of Emperor Zhi Di in 1420.
"The Forbidden City contains no fewer than 980 buildings and nearly ten thousand rooms, with the most significant structures placed in the center on a north-south axis." (credit:(Image: Erich Lessing / Art Resource, NY))
St. Paul's Cathedral (London, England)(10 of10)
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Designed by a number of architects including Christopher Wren and Nicholas Hawksmoor in 1697.
"Aside from its long dominance of the London skyline, St. Paul's Cathedral has also influence urban development... certain sight lines allowing views of the famous dome must be kept unencumbered by other buildings." (credit:(Image: © Musée de l’Armée/Dist. RMN-Grand Palais / Art Resource, NY))
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