Picture This: Florida’s Coral Castle

The Coral Castle in Florida

Before we crossed the first of the forty-two bridges we would encounter through The Florida Keys, we made a stop at the incredible Coral Castle.

The entrance to the Coral Castle in Florida

The story of this remarkable place is both mysterious and romantic. According to legend, Edward Leedskalnin was jilted by his bride-to-be the day before his wedding.

Heartbroken, he came to America from his native Latvia in 1923 and spent the next twenty-eight years building this monument to his lost love.

Coral Castle

The mystery comes into play with the fact that he made his masterpiece single handed, somehow moving and placing giant stones weighing up to thirty tons.

There was all kinds of speculation that he had harnessed some sort of power, most likely magnetic. But when he was asked about his feat his reply was that he had “discovered the secrets of the pyramids” and that he “understood the laws of weight and leverage well.”

The Coral Castle

However he did it, we found it quite impressive. Beginning at the nine ton, perfectly balanced front gate, we wandered among the coral creations, towers and rooms, all held in place only by gravity. Leedskalnin managed this by precise cutting, without the use of any mortar.

He also made furniture, including a heart-shaped table and one in the shape of Florida, twenty-five rocking chairs, beds and a even a throne to preside over his castle, all carved in solid stone.

The Coral Castle in Florida USA

The more we examined his handiwork, the more amazed we became. Even more amazing, after thirteen years of secret construction at his home in Florida City, he decided to move the entire structure ten miles north to its present location in Homestead.

It took him three years to move it, and then he continued to add on to it until his death in 1951.

Edward Leedskalnin's Coral Castle

Click here to see our full story on the Florida Keys!

The dining table shaped like Florida at the Coral Castle
The dining table shaped like Florida.

How was the Coral Castle built?

The tools that helped build Coral Castle

Click here to see our full story on the Florida Keys!

Edward Leedskalnin
Edward Leedskalnin
The well at Coral Castle
The well
The bell made from a steering column of a Model T Ford at Coral Castle
The castle bell is made from a steering column of a Model T Ford.
David tries out a rocking chair!
David relaxes in a rocking chair.

Click here to see our full story on the Florida Keys!

David & Veronica, GypsyNester.com

Want more Florida? Click here to see our adventures now!


Did you enjoy what you just read? Then you'll LOVE our book!
Going Gypsy: One Couple's Adventure from Empty Nest to No Nest at All Going Gypsy One Couple's Adventure from Empty Nest to No Nest at All 

- See how it all began!
ORDER NOW - Wherever Books Are Sold!
Amazon - Barnes & Noble - IndieBound - Books-a-Million
Also available as an audiobook from Audible.com

14 thoughts on “Picture This: Florida’s Coral Castle”

  1. He discovered the secrets of the pyramids, I wish he would’ve share them! It’s truly amazing what one human being can do, human ingenuity for the win!

  2. I am so envious! I’ve wanted to visit the Coral Castle for years. Watched several documentaries on it. It is the only truly mysterious site in the USA, at least IMO. Surprised more people don’t know about it…

  3. The story of the Coral Castle is incredible! I wonder if it’s true and if so, how he really did accomplish such feats!? I have heard that the keys draw a creative and eccentric group! No doubt many are now on their way to Mallory Square!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.