Ten Gypsy Kastellos (Palaces) in Covasant

We didn't know what it was we were seeing as we cycled along the main road in Covasant in western Romnia, near Arad and the Hungarian border. We thought of remnants of monarchial times, the church gone crazy, oligarchs, film stars, politicians on the take, what? Then we were told (but we did not really believe it) that these palaces were the result of competitive building among 'gypsies' who had made (and perhaps were still making) their money in England! And the buildings weren't necessarily inhabited.