Brewer's: Castle in the Air

A splendid edifice, but one which has no existence. In fairy tales we often have these castles built at a word, and vanishing as soon, like that built for Aladdin by the Genius of the Lamp. These air-castles are called by the French Châteaux d'Espagne, because Spain has no châteaux. We also find the expression Châteaux en Asie for a similar reason. (See Chateau .)

Source: Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, E. Cobham Brewer, 1894
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