Sleeping Beauty Castle is the most beautiful building in Disneyland; it’s stunning 22-karat gold detailing and stained glass windows are noticeable from the very end of Main Street USA. Most park guests are very familiar with the castle and its iconic shape, but did you know that the castle has a feature with its own unique fame?
When looking at the front of the castle, this hidden gem is on the right of the main turret. From the back of the castle (pictured below), it is to the left of the main turret. Look closely at the skinny gold spire. Does it look slightly different than the rest of the castle?
This detail on Sleeping Beauty Castle is a miniature version of a real spire, which towers over Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris. French architect Eugene Viollet-de-Duc designed the spire as part of the cathedral’s restoration project in the late 19th century.
Disneyland’s tiny spire is one of the castle’s most stylized features, and is an ornate detail that often goes completely unnoticed by busy park guests. The best place to view this hidden gem is in Fantasyland. Stand near the armory shop (next to Peter Pan’s Flight), and look up at the castle roof; you’ll have a close-up view of the beautiful Viollet-le-Duc Spire.
Such a neat detail – I’m so glad I will now be able to appreciate this during our family trip to Disneyland next year. I’m loving your blog.
Thank you so much! 🙂