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Jim Gottschlich gives new meaning to the saying “a man’s home is his castle.”

In addition to being his sole domain, his 5,300-square-foot Elon home, aka Castle von Gottschlich, is modeled after European palaces and is surrounded by 90 acres of trees and fields.

The equestrian estate represented a youthful dream fulfilled for Gottschlich, 60, who finished the home in 1999, about two years after he sold his half of a rubber molding company in Mebane, where he’d worked since moving from Ohio in 1986.

He had decided the time was right to satisfy a goal he set when in his 20s. He wanted to raise and train horses, Tennessee Walkers to be precise, and started Royal Land Stables on his new property. “I always had a passion for horses, even when I was really little.”

He had as many as 17 horses at one time, but stopped operating the stables last year and has kept only a dapple gray named Notorious Generator.

Gottschlich now wants to tackle a new adventure, and he plans to sell his estate, which even with occasional visits from grandchildren he finds too big for just himself.

If not purchased by a family, he envisions the property as an educational facility, a retreat, a winery, or a bed and breakfast, which could be accomplished by converting the additional walk-in attic space on the second floor.

Gottschlich plans to build another home eventually because the creation of his castle was so satisfying. He drew his inspiration from books and visits to castles in Germany and Austria. But “this is kind of my own concoction,” he says of the home he designed and built.

“I wanted it to be a palatial castle, not a dark and dreary kind of castle,” he says.

The interior design mixes modern elements with pieces traditionally identified with castles.

The solid mahogany front door is 2.5 inches thick. The wide entryway has an 18-foot ceiling, and custom gothic arches and doorways can be found throughout the home. Coffered ceilings feature mahogany details, and stained-glass accents can be spotted in several places. The gothic influence prevails. A functional suit of armor stands guard on the second floor facing the doorway, while statues of griffins are perched at the foot of the stairs and gargoyles man posts from outside turrets. Gottschlich decided against a moat, but the front entrance is designed to resemble a drawbridge.

Yet a family in 2008 would be at home in the two-story, four-bedroom, 4 1/2-bathroom castle that boasts security and theater systems, two gas fireplaces, storage areas at every turn, a second-floor terrace, a kitchen filled with modern appliances and a walk-in pantry, and a four-car garage.

A lot of the furniture and artwork were purchased specifically for the home, and Gottschlich stayed true to the castle theme with the help of replica pieces he found at stores and through catalogs.

The home is also fairly energy-efficient, which is not a term associated with castles. Gottschlich said Duke Power’s estimate for level billing (an average monthly bill) would be about $200. And the maintenance required for the brick and stone exterior is minimal. He made sure trees were kept 100 feet away from the house. “I’ve never had to go out and clean any gutters out. And if a tree falls, it will not hit the house.”

The outdoor design presents scenes straight from fairy tales. There’s an English-style statue garden in the backyard; a 2 1/2-acre manmade pond stocked with bass, catfish and carp; four pastures; a utility barn and stable; and trails through the woods near the house.

“I could ride for an hour at a slow pace in the woods, and just be in the woods,” Gottschlich says.

Natural beauty is abundant around the estate — he’s spied osprey by day and gazed at the stars at night, made even more dramatic by the rural setting. “You don’t get a lot of light from the city.” Still, he’s found the location is convenient. It’s only a few miles away from Burlington, and a drive to downtown Greensboro takes about 25 minutes.

Gottschlich stays busy in his semi-retirement. He paints, takes violin lessons, goes to classes at local colleges, works as a small business adviser through his company Jagco, counsels small business owners in Alamance County through the area SCORE chapter, and serves on advisory boards for GTCC and Alamance Regional Medical Center. The former tae kwon do instructor also makes time for regular visits to the gym.

But he’s ready for a change, and though he plans on staying in the Triad, he wants to downsize.

“I’m not sure what I’m going to do, but I’d like to design another unique house — something smaller though.”

Heather L. Modlin can be reached at 373-7144 or hmodlin@news-record.com.