Howard S. Solomon, who for over 30 years has built a castle in a very un-medieval southwest Florida, is putting his obsession up for sale. Solomon, a sculptor and artist, began building Solomon's Castle on a whim along Horse Creek, southwest of the small town of Ona, back in the Nixon era. He didn't stop until he had it the way that he wanted it, complete with a moat and drawbridge, more than 80 stained-glass windows, a grand entrance hall, a dungeon, and several towers. In a unique touch, he covered the entire exterior of his 12,000-square-foot castle with aluminum offset printing plates that he salvaged from a local newspaper.

We've been keeping tabs on the growth of Solomon's Castle since the mid-1980s, and are saddened that he's finally satisfied. Solomon wants $2.5 million for his castle and its 70-acre grounds, which seems like a steal to us. The whole package is being touted by Solomon's realtor as an ideal site for a permanent renaissance festival. [10/12/2005]

February 10, 2012