Islamic Building on Country Highway
Sevierville, Tennessee
The origins of this odd, old building are obscure. It stands along the main drag connecting Sevierville, hometown of Dolly Parton, to Pigeon Forge, home of the Elvis Museum, so it's about as out-of-place as can be.
It's currently identified as "Antique Castle," but it's clearly patterned on a mosque, though guarded by two gold-painted Medieval knights. The commercial-style entrance and windows suggest it might have been a Persian rug store (or a gift shop with the word "bazaar" in its name?). The current owners don't know and don't particularly care; they think it's a castle. Their only gripe is with electronic cigarettes, which are apparently popular with their clientele but are banned from their store with a big sign inside the front door.
Phil Pasquini, author of "Domes, Arches and Minarets" (2012), helped track down a little more info on the castle: "This structure was built in 1975, is 4,200 ft., and oddly enough, zoned as a single-family dwelling. It is a mosque-style building with two minarets. There is no particular style per se for an Oriental or Persian carpet store. However, some of these stores do take on an exterior Islamic style. This building has operated under many names of various businesses, including as a Christmas business."
