The 20,000-square-foot, 32-room Castillo del Lago was built by oil baron Patrick Longden in Beachwood Canyon, in 1926. This photo was taken that same year with the then 3-year-old Hollywoodland sign in the background. As we can see from the empty land around it, it really must have stuck out and been visible for miles around. In the 1930s, good-looking gangster-about-town, Bugsy Siegel ran a gambling operation out of the place, which seems an odd choice considering how distinctly visible it was. Then again, Bugsy didn’t scare easily.
The official address of the Castillo del Lago is: 6342 Mulholland Highway, Los Angeles, CA 90068. Here is how it looked in 2019:
From what I’ve read, Mr. Siegel rented the place specifically because of its isolation. With spotters on the roof he was aware of cops attempting a raid miles before they got to the property. With Siegel as a neighbor doubt the occupants of two adjacent houses did much complaining.
I remember seeing the outer walls of this house as I would drive down Los Feliz Blvd to the 5 freeway. Also, I think the Rolling Stones rented it for a couple weeks in 1969.
There are pictures of them lounging around the grounds on the Internet.
LOVE the pictures of Castillo del Lago. Both of these are incredible paeans
to a time I can only dream about.
Can you just IMAGINE partying up there in the 1920s?
Think even today it would be something. When it was built, with the original Hollywoodland sign lighted with 4,000 incandascant lightbulbs, that flashed HOLLY, WOOD and LAND individually and then the whole HOLLYWOODLAND. Can you imagine? Can’t believe anyone, even then, wouldn’t think their someplace rather special.
You’re right. I wonder who owns it now and what condition it’s in.
Imagine having a drink on the terrace at night in the ’20s and looking up at
the Hollywoodland sign. Magic.
Appears last sold in 2009 and know when Madonna owned she did extensive renovations. Also found 9 people live there! Strange thing: assessed at 7,783 square feet, which seems way small based on pics. Google Earthed it and amazing land/gardens.The 2 houses shown are still the only close neighbours! They sure don’t build them like this anymore.
I worked for Mr. Pytka, Tutoring his youngest daughter in 2005/2006. This house was a piece of History, with bullet holes still in some of the staircase railings. The driveway was purposely and aggressively curved so that, yes, lookouts of Seigel’s could see police if they were about to raid the compound; it gave them enough time to allow the gambling managers to switch the tables so there was no sign of illegal gambling or drinking.
But most striking was a tower that hosted a spiral staircase flanked by rooms that lead from the ground floor to the house entryway. You didn’t have to take the tower though to get to the actual house though. In fact, the residents always took a side elevator up that was said to be for help. However, if you wanted to take the staircase, it would leave you up four or five stories, and each floor hosted small rooms that looked like dormitories where it was said Siegel’s host-girls would sleep. I walked up the staircase once. I didn’t do it again… I told the girl that I worked with that I felt like someone was staring at me on floor three. She said that she had heard that before and there was a lot of cool supernatural stuff around that area. In fact, the elevator we both took up frequently was said to have a spirit living in it. Being in my mid-20s, I thought it was nonsense and also I was curious… A few times, while taking the elevator, I stopped thinking it was nonsense.
Pytka turned the top lookout tower/bell tower into my students room which looked like a romantic Moroccan fairytale. Mr. Pytka was an abusive man to all of the staff, but I will say that there’s an article that says that nothing more could be improved upon the house and in my opinion he was correct.
About 5 years after I worked for them, I was watching Beverly Hills cop two, and there is a shoot out at a mansion… That shoot out is in their kitchen. That place was amazing. I’m glad I got to see it for everything it was.
Hello,I read your very interesting comment.Thank you so much for sharing your experience in Castillo del Lago…I went there once but just at the gate and around…I sent a letter to Mr Pitka wanting to meet him and talk about his house but he did not answer…II would like to take the elevator and visit all rooms…incredible house!I love it!Good Day!
Yes sure! This house in so fascinating,full of History!I saw two old movies filmed in it and it shows some people going to the elevator and the actor Kent Smith climbing the spiral staircase…I prefered when it was red and green grass and flowers around…many thanx for your message!
“In the 1930s, good-looking gangster-about-town, Bugsy Siegel ran a gambling operation out of the place, which seems an odd choice considering how distinctly visible it was. Then again, Bugsy didn’t scare easily.”
“Handsome” with his twisted nose, and rather short hight, in spite of being billed 5′ 10″. The myth goes on.
The 20,000-square-foot, 32-room Castillo del Lago was built by oil baron Patrick Longden in Beachwood Canyon, in 1926. This photo was taken that same year with the then 3-year-old Hollywoodland sign in the background. As we can see from the empty land around it, it really must have stuck out and been visible for miles around. In the 1930s, good-looking gangster-about-town, Bugsy Siegel ran a gambling operation out of the place, which seems an odd choice considering how distinctly visible it was. Then again, Bugsy didn’t scare easily.
From what I’ve read, Mr. Siegel rented the place specifically because of its isolation. With spotters on the roof he was aware of cops attempting a raid miles before they got to the property. With Siegel as a neighbor doubt the occupants of two adjacent houses did much complaining.
I didn’t know that, Matt, but it sounds about right!
I remember seeing the outer walls of this house as I would drive down Los Feliz Blvd to the 5 freeway. Also, I think the Rolling Stones rented it for a couple weeks in 1969.
There are pictures of them lounging around the grounds on the Internet.
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/features/inside-katy-perry-convent-sparked-a-real-estate-war-1247527
LOVE the pictures of Castillo del Lago. Both of these are incredible paeans
to a time I can only dream about.
Can you just IMAGINE partying up there in the 1920s?
Think even today it would be something. When it was built, with the original Hollywoodland sign lighted with 4,000 incandascant lightbulbs, that flashed HOLLY, WOOD and LAND individually and then the whole HOLLYWOODLAND. Can you imagine? Can’t believe anyone, even then, wouldn’t think their someplace rather special.
You’re right. I wonder who owns it now and what condition it’s in.
Imagine having a drink on the terrace at night in the ’20s and looking up at
the Hollywoodland sign. Magic.
Appears last sold in 2009 and know when Madonna owned she did extensive renovations. Also found 9 people live there! Strange thing: assessed at 7,783 square feet, which seems way small based on pics. Google Earthed it and amazing land/gardens.The 2 houses shown are still the only close neighbours! They sure don’t build them like this anymore.
I worked for Mr. Pytka, Tutoring his youngest daughter in 2005/2006. This house was a piece of History, with bullet holes still in some of the staircase railings. The driveway was purposely and aggressively curved so that, yes, lookouts of Seigel’s could see police if they were about to raid the compound; it gave them enough time to allow the gambling managers to switch the tables so there was no sign of illegal gambling or drinking.
But most striking was a tower that hosted a spiral staircase flanked by rooms that lead from the ground floor to the house entryway. You didn’t have to take the tower though to get to the actual house though. In fact, the residents always took a side elevator up that was said to be for help. However, if you wanted to take the staircase, it would leave you up four or five stories, and each floor hosted small rooms that looked like dormitories where it was said Siegel’s host-girls would sleep. I walked up the staircase once. I didn’t do it again… I told the girl that I worked with that I felt like someone was staring at me on floor three. She said that she had heard that before and there was a lot of cool supernatural stuff around that area. In fact, the elevator we both took up frequently was said to have a spirit living in it. Being in my mid-20s, I thought it was nonsense and also I was curious… A few times, while taking the elevator, I stopped thinking it was nonsense.
Pytka turned the top lookout tower/bell tower into my students room which looked like a romantic Moroccan fairytale. Mr. Pytka was an abusive man to all of the staff, but I will say that there’s an article that says that nothing more could be improved upon the house and in my opinion he was correct.
About 5 years after I worked for them, I was watching Beverly Hills cop two, and there is a shoot out at a mansion… That shoot out is in their kitchen. That place was amazing. I’m glad I got to see it for everything it was.
Wow, Kate! Thanks for taking the time to share that with us.
Hello,I read your very interesting comment.Thank you so much for sharing your experience in Castillo del Lago…I went there once but just at the gate and around…I sent a letter to Mr Pitka wanting to meet him and talk about his house but he did not answer…II would like to take the elevator and visit all rooms…incredible house!I love it!Good Day!
Hey Dom, I think we’d ALL like a chance to roam around that place!
Yes sure! This house in so fascinating,full of History!I saw two old movies filmed in it and it shows some people going to the elevator and the actor Kent Smith climbing the spiral staircase…I prefered when it was red and green grass and flowers around…many thanx for your message!
Kate, thank you for sharing your amazing memories!!
“In the 1930s, good-looking gangster-about-town, Bugsy Siegel ran a gambling operation out of the place, which seems an odd choice considering how distinctly visible it was. Then again, Bugsy didn’t scare easily.”
“Handsome” with his twisted nose, and rather short hight, in spite of being billed 5′ 10″. The myth goes on.
To be fair to the Bugster, compared to his fellow mobster brethren, he was the pick of the bunch. But it was fairly meager pickings, so there’s that.