Homestead, Florida: Coral Castle
RoadsideAmerica.com Team Field Report
- Address:
- 28655 S. Dixie Hwy, Homestead, FL
- Directions:
- Florida Turnpike to Homestead, exit 5 (SW 288th St.). West for 1.5 miles to SW 157th Ave., then turn right. One block north, on the corner of U.S. 1 and SW 157th Ave.
- Hours:
- Su-Th 8-6, F-Sa 8-8 (Call to verify) Local health policies may affect hours and access.
- Phone:
- 305-248-6345
- Admission:
- Adults $18.
- RA Rates:
- The Best
Results 1 to 5 of 7... Page of 2 [Next 2 items]
Hand-built monument to unrequited love, a showplace of engineering head-scratchers and possibly mysterious forces.
Roadsideamerica.com Report...Visitor Tips and News About Coral Castle
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Went to Coral Castle this past weekend and totally enjoyed it! Amazing what one man accomplished. Tip: It is dog friendly.
[Denise Martin, 11/30/2016]
Take your time and enjoy. It's almost better to not do a guided tour so your imagination can run free.
[Will Brooks, 05/14/2015]
There are so many stories and myths about this attraction that it is difficult to sort the facts from the fantasy. It was built by a five-foot-tall, 100 pound man, Ed Leedskalnin. He used his knowledge of stone masonry, pulleys, fulcrums, and levers to build this impressive structure.
Legend has it that the castle was built due to unrequited love. That is not quite correct. This is not the first structure Mr. Leedskalnin built. The first structure is about 20 miles away, and he referred to it as The Farm. He told people he built that structure as a tribute to his first love. He later told people he left his lost love back at the farm. When people asked him why he built the Coral Castle he would tell them it was for the 316s. People assumed that this was his lost love's birthday, and occasionally refer to the Coral Castle as a tribute to her because she was Mr. Leedskalnin's "Sweet Sixteen."
One of the many interesting things about the Coral Castle is its abundance of Masonic signs and symbols. There is clearly a Masonic altar and lectern. The Square and Compass and six pointed star are in evidence throughout the Castle, as well as many pyramids. The whole complex further appears to follow the 47th problem of Euclid. It is interesting to note that the number 316 is used by a number of Masonic Lodges throughout the United States.
[Margaret Guyette, 02/09/2013]
Google maps gave us bad directions, but we pulled over and asked a local who got us there in a jiffy. The place is just beautiful, worth the price of admission. There are some great examples of improvised engineering, including a huge stone door that pivots on ball bearings.
Make sure that the weather is fair on the day you visit, it's all outside.
[Tiffany T, 03/05/2011]Page of 2 [Next 2 items]
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For many decades, the main thrust of any Coral Castle tour guide's spiel was about Ed's lost love. This probably isn't sufficient for today's Dan Brown-educated traveler, and the structure is full of Masonic symbols. So sure, building it for the "316s" instead of his "sweet sixteen" makes as much sense as anything!