HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Coral Castle is an
oolite Oolite or oölite (''egg stone'') is a sedimentary rock formed from ooids, spherical grains composed of concentric layers. The name derives from the Ancient Greek word for egg (ᾠόν). Strictly, oolites consist of ooids of diameter 0.25–2 ...
limestone structure created by the
Latvian-American Latvian Americans are Americans who are of Latvian ancestry. According to the 2008 American Community Survey, there are 93,498 Americans of full or partial Latvian descent. History The first significant wave of Latvian settlers who immigrated ...
eccentric
Edward Leedskalnin Edward Leedskalnin ( lv, Edvards Liedskalniņš) (January 12, 1887 – December 7, 1951) was a Latvian immigrant to the United States and self-taught engineer who single-handedly built the Coral Castle in Florida, added to the National Reg ...
(1887–1951). It is located in
unincorporated Unincorporated may refer to: * Unincorporated area, land not governed by a local municipality * Unincorporated entity, a type of organization * Unincorporated territories of the United States, territories under U.S. jurisdiction, to which Congress ...
territory of
Miami-Dade County, Florida Miami-Dade County is a County (United States), county located in the southeastern part of the U.S. state of Florida. The county had a population of 2,701,767 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making it the most populous county in ...
, between the cities of
Homestead Homestead may refer to: *Homestead (buildings), a farmhouse and its adjacent outbuildings; by extension, it can mean any small cluster of houses *Homestead (unit), a unit of measurement equal to 160 acres *Homestead principle, a legal concept th ...
and
Leisure City Leisure City is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States, that includes the smaller, older community of Modello in its northwestern section. The population was 26,324 at the 2020 cen ...
. The structure comprises numerous large stones, each weighing several tons, sculpted into a variety of shapes, including slab walls, tables, chairs, a crescent moon, a water fountain and a sundial. It is currently a privately operated tourist attraction. Coral Castle is noted for legends surrounding its creation that claim it was built single-handedly by Leedskalnin using reverse magnetism or
supernatural Supernatural refers to phenomena or entities that are beyond the laws of nature. The term is derived from Medieval Latin , from Latin (above, beyond, or outside of) + (nature) Though the corollary term "nature", has had multiple meanings si ...
abilities to move and carve the stones.


History

Coral Castle's own promotional material says Edward Leedskalnin was 26 years old when he was suddenly rejected by his 16-year-old fiancée Agnes Skuvst in
Latvia Latvia ( or ; lv, Latvija ; ltg, Latveja; liv, Leţmō), officially the Republic of Latvia ( lv, Latvijas Republika, links=no, ltg, Latvejas Republika, links=no, liv, Leţmō Vabāmō, links=no), is a country in the Baltic region of ...
, just one day before the wedding. Leaving for the
United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
, he came down with allegedly terminal
tuberculosis Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease usually caused by '' Mycobacterium tuberculosis'' (MTB) bacteria. Tuberculosis generally affects the lungs, but it can also affect other parts of the body. Most infections show no symptoms, in ...
, but spontaneously healed, stating that magnets had some effect on his disease. He spent more than 28 years building Coral Castle, refusing to allow anyone to view him while he worked. A few teenagers claimed to have witnessed his work, reporting that he had caused the blocks of coral to move like
hydrogen Hydrogen is the chemical element with the symbol H and atomic number 1. Hydrogen is the lightest element. At standard conditions hydrogen is a gas of diatomic molecules having the formula . It is colorless, odorless, tasteless, non-toxic, an ...
balloons. The only advanced tool that Leedskalnin spoke of using was a "
perpetual motion Perpetual motion is the motion of bodies that continues forever in an unperturbed system. A perpetual motion machine is a hypothetical machine that can do work infinitely without an external energy source. This kind of machine is impossible, a ...
holder". Leedskalnin originally built a castle, which he named "Ed's Place", in Florida City, Florida, around 1923. He purchased the land from Ruben Moser whose wife had assisted him when he had another very bad case of tuberculosis. Florida City, which borders the
Everglades The Everglades is a natural region of tropical climate, tropical wetlands in the southern portion of the U.S. state of Florida, comprising the southern half of a large drainage basin within the Neotropical realm. The system begins near Orland ...
, is the southernmost city in the United States that is not on an island. At the time, it was an extremely remote location with very little development. The castle remained in Florida City until about 1936 when Leedskalnin decided to move and take the castle with him. Its second and final location has the mailing address of 28655 South Dixie Highway, Miami, FL 33033, which now appears within the census-generated overlay of Leisure City but which is actually unincorporated county territory. He reportedly chose relocation as a means to protect his privacy when discussion about developing land in the original area of the castle started. He spent three years moving the component structures of Coral Castle north from Florida City to its current location outside Homestead, Florida. Leedskalnin named his new place "Rock Gate" after the huge rear swinging gate he built into the back wall. He continued to work on the castle until his death in 1951. The coral pieces that are part of the newer castle, not among those transported from the original location, were quarried on the property only a few feet away from the castle's walls. The pool and the pit beside the southern wall are quarries. The east and west quarries have been filled in. At Florida City, Leedskalnin charged visitors ten cents apiece to tour the castle grounds. After moving to Homestead, he asked for donations of twenty-five cents, but let visitors enter free if they had no money. There are signs carved into rocks at the front gate to "Ring Bell Twice". He would come down from his living quarters in the second story of the castle tower close to the gate and conduct the tour. He never told anyone who asked him how he made the castle. He would simply answer "It's not difficult if you know how." When asked why he had built the castle, Leedskalnin would vaguely answer it was for his "Sweet Sixteen". This is widely believed to be a reference to Agnes Skuvst (often misspelled as "Scuffs"). In Leedskalnin's own publication ''A Book in Every Home'', he implies his "Sweet Sixteen" was more an ideal than a reality. According to a Latvian account, the girl existed, but her name was actually Hermīne Lūsis. When Leedskalnin became ill in November 1951, he put a sign on the door of the front gate "Going to the Hospital" and took the bus to
Jackson Memorial Hospital Jackson Memorial Hospital (also known as "Jackson" or abbreviated "MJMH") is a non-profit, tertiary care hospital, the primary teaching hospital of the University of Miami's School of Medicine, and the largest hospital in the United States with 1,5 ...
in
Miami Miami ( ), officially the City of Miami, known as "the 305", "The Magic City", and "Gateway to the Americas", is a East Coast of the United States, coastal metropolis and the County seat, county seat of Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade C ...
. He suffered a stroke at one point, either before he left for the hospital or at the hospital. He died twenty-eight days later of
pyelonephritis Pyelonephritis is inflammation of the kidney, typically due to a bacterial infection. Symptoms most often include fever and flank tenderness. Other symptoms may include nausea, burning with urination, and frequent urination. Complications may ...
(a kidney infection) at the age of 64. His death certificate noted that his death was a result of "
uremia Uremia is the term for high levels of urea in the blood. Urea is one of the primary components of urine. It can be defined as an excess of amino acid and protein metabolism end products, such as urea and creatinine, in the blood that would be nor ...
; failure of kidneys, as a result of the infection and abscess". While the property was being investigated, was found among Leedskalnin's personal belongings. He had made his income from conducting tours, selling pamphlets about various subjects (including magnetic currents) and the sale of a portion of his property for the construction of U.S. Route 1. As he had no
will Will may refer to: Common meanings * Will and testament, instructions for the disposition of one's property after death * Will (philosophy), or willpower * Will (sociology) * Will, volition (psychology) * Will, a modal verb - see Shall and will ...
, the castle became the property of his closest living relative in the United States, a nephew from Michigan named Harry. Coral Castle's website reports that the nephew was in poor health and he sold the castle to an
Illinois Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolita ...
family in 1953. However, this story differs from the obituary of a former Coral Castle owner, Julius Levin, a retired jeweler from
Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...
, Illinois. The obituary states Levin had purchased the land from the state of Florida in 1952 and may not have been aware there was even a castle on the land. The new owners turned it into a tourist attraction and changed the name of Rock Gate to Rock Gate Park, and later to Coral Castle. In January 1981, Levin sold the castle to Coral Castle, Inc., for . The company retains ownership today. In 1984 the property was listed on the
National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...
. It was added under the name of "Rock Gate", but the name on the list was changed to "Coral Castle" in 2011. The stone sign just inside the property that says "Adm. 10c Drop Below" is not original to Coral Castle. Leedskalnin made this sign and placed it in front of his earlier location at Florida City when he was tired of giving a "free show" to visitors who were careless and trampled his shrubbery. This sign was donated by the owners of Ed's Place and placed here in subsequent years.


The Castle

The grounds of Coral Castle consist of of stones in the form of walls, carvings, furniture, and a castle tower. Commonly mistakenly believed to be made of
coral Corals are marine invertebrates within the class Anthozoa of the phylum Cnidaria. They typically form compact colonies of many identical individual polyps. Coral species include the important reef builders that inhabit tropical oceans and sec ...
, it is actually made of
oolite Oolite or oölite (''egg stone'') is a sedimentary rock formed from ooids, spherical grains composed of concentric layers. The name derives from the Ancient Greek word for egg (ᾠόν). Strictly, oolites consist of ooids of diameter 0.25–2 ...
, also known as oolitic
limestone Limestone ( calcium carbonate ) is a type of carbonate sedimentary rock which is the main source of the material lime. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of . Limestone forms whe ...
. Oolite is a
sedimentary rock Sedimentary rocks are types of rock that are formed by the accumulation or deposition of mineral or organic particles at Earth's surface, followed by cementation. Sedimentation is the collective name for processes that cause these particles ...
composed of small spherical grains of concentrically layered
carbonate A carbonate is a salt of carbonic acid (H2CO3), characterized by the presence of the carbonate ion, a polyatomic ion with the formula . The word ''carbonate'' may also refer to a carbonate ester, an organic compound containing the carbonate g ...
that may include localized concentrations of
fossil A fossil (from Classical Latin , ) is any preserved remains, impression, or trace of any once-living thing from a past geological age. Examples include bones, shells, exoskeletons, stone imprints of animals or microbes, objects preserved ...
shells and coral. Oolite is found throughout southeastern Florida from Palm Beach County to the
Florida Keys The Florida Keys are a coral cay archipelago located off the southern coast of Florida, forming the southernmost part of the continental United States. They begin at the southeastern coast of the Florida peninsula, about south of Miami, and e ...
. Oolite is often found beneath only several inches of topsoil, such as at the Coral Castle site. The stones are fastened together without mortar. They are set on top of each other using their weight to keep them together. The craftsmanship detail is so fine and the stones are connected with such precision that no light passes through the joints. The tall vertical stones that make up the perimeter wall have a uniform height. Even with the passage of decades the stones have not shifted. Among the features and carvings are a two-story castle tower that served as Leedskalnin's living quarters (walls consisting of 8-foot-high pieces of stone), an accurate
sundial A sundial is a horological device that tells the time of day (referred to as civil time in modern usage) when direct sunlight shines by the apparent position of the Sun in the sky. In the narrowest sense of the word, it consists of a flat ...
, a polar telescope, an
obelisk An obelisk (; from grc, ὀβελίσκος ; diminutive of ''obelos'', " spit, nail, pointed pillar") is a tall, four-sided, narrow tapering monument which ends in a pyramid-like shape or pyramidion at the top. Originally constructed by Anc ...
, a barbecue, a
water well A well is an excavation or structure created in the ground by digging, driving, or drilling to access liquid resources, usually water. The oldest and most common kind of well is a water well, to access groundwater in underground aquifers. Th ...
, a fountain, celestial stars and planets, and numerous pieces of furniture. The furniture pieces include a heart-shaped table, a table in the shape of Florida, twenty-five rocking chairs, chairs resembling crescent moons, a bathtub, beds, and a
throne A throne is the seat of state of a potentate or dignitary, especially the seat occupied by a sovereign on state occasions; or the seat occupied by a pope or bishop on ceremonial occasions. "Throne" in an abstract sense can also refer to the monar ...
. With few exceptions, the objects are made from single pieces of stone that weigh on average each. The largest stone weighs and the tallest are two monoliths standing each. A revolving 8-foot tall gate is a famous structure of the castle, documented on the television programs '' In Search of...'' and ''
That's Incredible! ''That's Incredible!'' is an American reality television show that aired on the American Broadcasting Company, ABC television network from 1980 in television, 1980 to 1984 in television, 1984. In the tradition of ''You Asked for It'', ''List of ...
''. The gate is carved so that it fits within a quarter of an inch of the walls. It was well-balanced, reportedly so that a child could open it with the push of a finger. The mystery of the gate's perfectly balanced axis and the ease with which it revolved lasted for decades until it stopped working in 1986. In order to remove it, six men and a crane were used. Once the gate was removed, the engineers discovered how Leedskalnin had centered and balanced it. He had drilled a hole from top to bottom and inserted a metal shaft. The rock rested on an old truck bearing. It was the
rust Rust is an iron oxide, a usually reddish-brown oxide formed by the reaction of iron and oxygen in the catalytic presence of water or air moisture. Rust consists of hydrous iron(III) oxides (Fe2O3·nH2O) and iron(III) oxide-hydroxide (FeO(OH ...
ing out of this bearing that resulted in the gate's failure to revolve. Complete with new bearings and shaft, it was set back into place on July 23, 1986. It failed in 2005 and was again repaired; however, it does not rotate with the same ease it once did. Coral Castle remains a popular tourist attraction. Books, magazines, and television programs speculate about how Leedskalnin was able to construct the structure and move stones that weigh many tons. Claims that nobody had ever seen Leedskalnin at work and that he levitated his stones have been repudiated. Orval Irwin reportedly witnessed him quarry his stones and erect parts of his wall, and illustrated the methods in his book ''Mr. Can't Is Dead''. The Nemith Film Collection produced a short film documentary in 1944 of him at work . Coral Castle's website states that, "If anyone ever questioned Ed about how he moved the blocks of coral, Ed would only reply that he understood the laws of weight and leverage well." He also stated that he had "discovered the secrets of the pyramids", referring to the
Great Pyramid of Giza The Great Pyramid of Giza is the biggest Egyptian pyramid and the tomb of Fourth Dynasty pharaoh Khufu. Built in the early 26th century BC during a period of around 27 years, the pyramid is the oldest of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, ...
. File:Homestead FL Coral Castle sign01.jpg File:Homestead FL Coral Castle entr01.jpg File:Homestead FL Coral Castle revolve gate01.jpg File:Homestead FL Coral Castle telescope02.jpg File:Homestead FL Coral Castle king stone01.jpg File:Homestead FL Coral Castle pano01.jpg File:Homestead FL Coral Castle outside03.jpg File:Coral Castle by Carol M. Highsmith.jpg File:Coral Castle Walk.jpg File:Homestead FL Coral Castle cooker01.jpg File:Homestead FL Coral Castle tower02.jpg File:Homestead FL Coral Castle tower inside02.jpg


In popular culture

* Coral Castle is sometimes referred to as Florida's Stonehenge. * The 1958 film ''
The Wild Women of Wongo ''The Wild Women of Wongo'' is a 1958 American adventure film directed by James L. Wolcott and starring Jean Hawkshaw, Mary Ann Webb, Cande Gerrard, and Adrienne Bourbeau. It features low budget, stereotypical portrayals of fictional tropical i ...
'' used Coral Castle as the set for the dragon-god temple. * The lunar scenes of the 1961 film ''
Nude on the Moon ''Nude on the Moon'' is a 1961 science-fantasy nudist film co-written and co-directed by Doris Wishman and Raymond Phelan under the shared pseudonyms "O. O. Miller" and "Anthony Brooks". The film was produced in 1960 and theatrically released in ...
'' were shot in Coral Castle. * In the 1966 children's musical film ''
Jimmy, the Boy Wonder ''Jimmy, the Boy Wonder'' is a 1966 children's musical film about a boy, played by Dennis Jones, who successfully stops time. The film is one of two children's features directed by Herschell Gordon Lewis Herschell Gordon Lewis (June 15, 1926 ...
'', Coral Castle was used as a backdrop in several scenes. * "The Castle of Secrets" is an episode of
Leonard Nimoy Leonard Simon Nimoy (; March 26, 1931 – February 27, 2015) was an American actor, famed for playing Spock in the ''Star Trek'' franchise for almost 50 years. This includes originating Spock in the original ''Star Trek'' series in 1966, then ...
's program '' In Search of...'' (1976–1982) that includes a dramatization of Leedskalnin moving the stones with minimal effort. * On June 20, 2014, the History Channel aired a segment about Coral Castle in the ''
Ancient Aliens ''Ancient Aliens'' is an American television series that explores the pseudohistorical and pseudoarchaeological ancient astronauts hypothesis, past human- extraterrestrial contact, UFOs, government conspiracies and related pseudoscientific top ...
'' series (Season 2, Episode 8), "Mysterious Structures". * Billy Idol's 1986 song " Sweet Sixteen" was inspired by the story of Leedskalnin and Coral Castle. * John Martin's book, ''Coral Castle Construction'', released in November 2012, describes how Ed Leedskalnin built his structure based on fundamental engineering principles. * In the video game '' Fortnite'', a location named Coral Castle exists. It is unknown if it is in reference to the real-life Coral Castle. In August 2020, the company that owns Coral Castle sued
Epic Games Epic Games, Inc. is an American video game and software developer and publisher based in Cary, North Carolina. The company was founded by Tim Sweeney as Potomac Computer Systems in 1991, originally located in his parents' house in Potomac, M ...
for trademark infringement. * In the novel ''
The Island of Eternal Love ''The Island of Eternal Love'' is a 2006 novel by Cuban author Daína Chaviano. The plot is a family saga that takes place along two parallel lines: one during our time and another that begins in the 1850s. The modern story revolves around the ...
'', by Cuban-American author Daína Chaviano, a whole chapter ("Very close to my heart") is dedicated to the history of Coral Castle and his builder
Edward Leedskalnin Edward Leedskalnin ( lv, Edvards Liedskalniņš) (January 12, 1887 – December 7, 1951) was a Latvian immigrant to the United States and self-taught engineer who single-handedly built the Coral Castle in Florida, added to the National Reg ...
.


See also

*
Ferdinand Cheval Ferdinand Cheval (19 April 1836 – 19 August 1924), often nicknamed Facteur Cheval ("Mail Carrier Cheval") was a French mail carrier who spent 33 years building Le Palais idéal (the "Ideal Palace") in Hauterives, in southeastern France.
, a French postman who built ''Le Palais idéal'', a similar stone castle *
Simon Rodia The Watts Towers, Towers of Simon Rodia, or ''Nuestro Pueblo'' ("our town" in Spanish) are a collection of 17 interconnected sculptural towers, architectural structures, and individual sculptural features and mosaics within the site of the artis ...
, an American construction worker who built Watts Tower *
Bishop Castle Bishop Castle is an "elaborate and intricate" "one-man project" named after its constructor, Jim Bishop, that has become a roadside attraction in central Colorado. The "castle" is located in south central Colorado on State Highway 165 in the ...
, a one-man construction project near Rye, Colorado.


References


Bibliography

* * * * * * *


External links

*
Skeptic Magazine article

Coral Castle aerial photographs
{{authority control Art museums and galleries in Florida Castles in the United States Forteana Historic districts on the National Register of Historic Places in Florida Museums in Miami-Dade County, Florida National Register of Historic Places in Miami-Dade County, Florida Folly buildings on the National Register of Historic Places Outdoor sculptures in Florida Roadside attractions in Florida Visionary environments Buildings and structures completed in 1923 Stone sculptures in Florida 1923 sculptures Homestead, Florida Limestone sculptures in the United States 1923 establishments in Florida de:Edward Leedskalnin#Coral Castle