Coral Castle: Architectural Marvel, Everlasting Mystery
Coral Castle is one of Florida’s greatest mysteries. Sometimes equated with the pyramids in Egypt or England’s Stonehenge, the history of its construction has been shrouded in myth, along with the artist who built it.
Ed Leedskalnin was a private person, slim and small, and rather eccentric. However, he was also an endearing showman. According to the Coral Castle Museum, if you had been a visitor in the 1940s, little Leedskalnin would have greeted you with a big grin as he kindly asked for ten cents admission to his own personal wonderland.
Today, tours are $18.00 and are led by knowledgeable staff who are enthusiastic about Leedskalnin’s coral creation. They certainly help fill in the gaps of what might otherwise appear to be an indecipherable work of art! Delightfully quirky and one-of-a-kind, Coral Castle is a great roadside adventure for anyone looking to fill an afternoon with something uniquely fun.
Are you ready to solve some mysteries?
The Life & Times of Ed Leedskalnin
Leedskalnin was a bit of a paradox.
Although he was a private person, he published pamphlets on his personal philosophies for the world to read and opened a park (later to be called Coral Castle) to the public, greeting most visitors personally. He always worked alone but had close friends that he saw often. He never married, but his amazing castle was a testament to love. (Well, unrequited love, anyway.)
It’s fitting that his creation is similarly eclectic, perhaps impossible to ever fully comprehend. However, we do know that Coral Castle—originally called Rock Gate Park—was shaped by a single event in Leedskalnin’s life. The loss of his one true love.
At age 26, Leedskalnin was engaged to Agnes Scuffs, who was ten years his junior. He lovingly called her his “Sweet Sixteen.” He was absolutely head over heels for his bride-to-be, and all seemed well with the couple until Agnes canceled the wedding—one day before the ceremony.1
Leedskalnin was dumbfounded and heartbroken. His life, his future, and his heart seemed to crumble before his eyes. There was no way he could rebuild it. But building actually proved to be a decent remedy or at least a decent distraction. While in the midst of his personal tragedy, Leedskalnin turned his energy toward a creative endeavor that would last 28 years: constructing a monument to unrequited love.
Whether the castle helped ease the pain is anybody’s guess, but as Leedskalnin died a single man, I think it’s safe to assume not even kingly Coral Castle was ever quite enough to replace Agnes Scuffs.
Coral Castle: Construction Conundrum
In addition to the castle walls and living quarters, there’s also a bountiful rock garden in the courtyard. In fact, the courtyard is really the star of the show. Unlike beautiful zen gardens with natural rocks in beds of swirled sand, Leedskalnin’s rock garden is made up of hand-carved, gravity-defying sculptures.
Crescent moons, orbs, chairs, tables, a water fountain, and a sundial are all part of this sedimentary garden. All in all, Leedskalnin sculpted over 1,000 tons of coral rock (oolite limestone).2 However, even more impressive than just shaping the rock into whimsical forms is the fact Leedskalnin moved it all from Florida City to the castle’s location in Homestead, Florida, ten miles away.
By himself.
So, how was Coral Castle built?? That’s a question for the ages.
Leedskalnin was so reserved in nature that he did most of his work on the castle under cover of darkness and without any assistance. In this secretive manner, he managed to construct such marvels as a 9-ton gate that swings open with the touch of a finger. The entire castle is an engineering feat.
When asked about his methods, Leedskalnin was said to reply that he “knew the secrets used to build the ancient pyramids and if he could learn them, you could too.”3
Although some have theorized Leedskalnin accomplished his astounding project supernaturally, through special powers of levitation and magnetism, his biggest superpower was actually good old-fashioned hard work (a virtue he prized). He used basic, primitive tools—still on display at the Coral Castle museum-like picks, pulleys, and winches, not to mention a remarkable understanding of leverage!4
In addition to a great work ethic, Leedskalnin also had a mighty sense of perseverance. Although his project lasted 28 years, he kept going until his vision was complete. At the entrance of the castle, Leedskalnin carved a sign:
“You will be seeing unusual accomplishment.”
I can’t think of a better tagline than that!
Coral Castle Tours
Leedskalnin actually invited Agnes to come to see the castle he had built, but she never did.
Although she never experienced this monument to unrequited love, others who have flocked to it throughout the years have come away feeling inspired. In fact, musician Billy Idol’s song, “Sweet Sixteen,” is a tribute to Leedskalnin and the Coral Castle!5
Ranked in the top 35 museums across the entire U.S. and part of the National Register of Historic Places, a visit to Coral Castle is a must if you are in the Homestead area. (Homestead is a suburb of Miami, about 30 miles from the city proper). As of writing, the museum is open Thursday through Sunday, 9 am to 6 pm. Tours are held continuously, and most guests spend about an hour or two on the grounds.5
Tours through the castle highlight Leedskalnin’s life and the amazing architecture of the castle, also explaining some of the significance behind his sculptures. It’s a fascinating and engaging subject that will leave you in awe of one man’s passion.
Keep in mind that you may be grouped randomly with other people for the tour and that you are expected to stay with your guide for the duration of your visit. Sadly, you can’t just roam freely through the rock garden. While this means you can’t sit and sketch, or just sit and ponder, as you might at a traditional art gallery, this measure is understandably taken to protect and preserve Coral Castle from unsupervised shenanigans.
This might be a little disheartening to museum dawdlers (like me), but going in knowing this information helps quell any possible disappointment. Even without “independent studies,” Coral Castle is definitely still worth a day trip!
Quirky, fun, and wonderfully mysterious, you really can’t go wrong going to see Coral Castle!
Have you gotten to visit the Coral Castle Museum? What did you think? Tell us about it in the comments below!
Oh, and what’s your theory on how it was built? Personally, I’m always down for aliens.
Cover Image
Photo: Matthew Dillon via Flickr
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