(COLORADO) — Individuals will have the chance to honor the man who built a very well-known structure in Southern Colorado this upcoming weekend.

James “Jim” Roland Bishop is known for building one of the most unique buildings in Colorado: Bishop Castle. The structure is 16 stories high with winding spiral staircases, stained glass windows, and a metal dragon that breathes fire. Bishop spent close to six decades constructing and designing the castle located in Rye.

The castle wasn’t meant to be what it is today. The Bishop family spoke to FOX31 News, FOX21’s sister station in Denver, in 2024 about how it was initially supposed to be a family cabin after the plot of land where it’s currently located was bought by Bishop. It wasn’t until 1969 that Bishop decided to build a one-room stone cottage, until locals put it in Bishop’s head that the cabin looked more like a castle.

In 2024, the Bishop family announced via Facebook that Jim had passed away on November 21. Earlier that year, Jim had turned 80 years old, and while he was no longer in charge of the castle, the construction throughout the building depicted his decade-long work.

“A survivor, renegade, visionary, humanitarian, and at times a madman genius, Jim’s determination to create an evolving legacy tested every limit and literally moved mountains,” the Bishop Castle wrote via Facebook back in November.

Dan Bishop, Jim’s son, had previously said he planned to continue work on the castle.

The entrance to the castle is completely free — the family welcomes donations to keep it running.

A celebration of life for Jim will be held at the Bishop Castle located at 12705 CO-165 in Rye, on Saturday, July 5, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Light snacks and refreshments will be provided.