Castle Howard is one of Britain's greatest stately homes, located in the Howardian Hills, northeast of the city of York. The construction of the castle began in 1699 and it took over 100 years to construct. The castle was the creation of Charles, 3rd Earl of Carlisle, who enlisted the help of architect John Vanbrugh. Castle Howard today is still the home of the Howard family and welcomes over 200,000 visitors a year.