While some of the stories behind its construction are vague, much of it is a matter of record. The man who constructed this castle stood barely over five feet tall and weighed approximately 100 pounds. He was Edward Leedskalnin.

Edward Leedskalnin was born in Riga, Latvia on August 10, 1887. It is believed that he left Latvia after a failed relationship with his 16-year-old fiancée, Agnes Scuffs, whom he referred to as his “Sweet Sixteen”. Prior to his arrival in Florida, he had lived in Canada, California and Texas.

At some point, he developed a case of tuberculosis. He finally decided that the Florida climate would be better in helping him fight the deadly ailment. He agreed to purchase land from Rubin Moser, in Florida City, Florida in the early 1920s. Florida City was a very remote location, bordering on the Everglades.

Moser’s wife helped Leedskalnin overcome his very serious case of tuberculosis. He later attributed his recovery from the deadly disease to magnetic forces. Shortly thereafter, he began construction of his unusual home, a structure of limestone blocks, formed from coral. The blocks used were huge, many weighing over 2 or 3 tons In 1923, he named his home Rock Gate Park, however, the construction of it would span almost three decades.

During the construction of it, he would not allow anyone to watch him work. It was rumored that he frequently worked at night, making it more difficult for onlookers to see his methods.

At one point, a few teenagers claimed to have hidden close by and watched him work. They said that he made the huge stones float as if they were filled with helium. However, the only unusual tool Leedskalnin ever spoke of was a “perpetual motion holder.”

Rumors continued to spread about Leedskalnin and his ability to overcome gravity. In 1936, he decided to move his home to Homestead, Florida. The reason for the move is subject to debate. Some think he moved to protect his privacy when it appeared that Florida City was about to undergo greater development. Others say that during a failed robbery attempt by a gang of thugs, Leedskalnin was badly beaten. Following the attack, he decided to move himself and his castle to Homestead, Florida. Regardless of the cause, it took three years for the relocation to be completed. During the relocation, many people saw the huge blocks being transported on a makeshift trailer, pulled by a tractor. However, nobody ever saw him loading or unloading the blocks from the trailer.

Leedskalnin continued to work on his castle. At his new location, coral pieces were quarried from his own property only a few feet away from the southern wall. He also wrote several books pertaining to engineering practices and claimed that the engineering and scientific community failed to properly understand the workings of magnetism. These books were for sale to visitors. One of his books, Magnetic Current is on sale in the left column of this page.

As more and more curious sightseers visited, he carved the words, “Ring Bell Twice” into one piece of stone. On another he carved, “Adm. 10¢ Drop Below.” Upon hearing the bell ring, he would come down from his quarters on the second floor and conduct a tour.

During these tours, he was frequently asked how he had built all this, but his answer never held any great scientific explanation, it was always the same basic one, “It isn‘t difficult when you know how!”

When asked why he’d built the castle and he would tell the story of his “Sweet Sixteen” and the failed love affair. Whether this love story is true or not is a matter of speculation. In later years, Leedskalnin stated that “Sweet Sixteen” was more of an ideal than reality. There is no conclusive indication that the term “Sweet Sixteen” refers to Agnes Scuffs.

In December of 1951, an ailing Leedskalnin hung a sign on the front door of the castle that read, “Going to Hospital.” He would not see his castle again; he died three days later from advanced stomach cancer.

Today, you may visit Ed Leedskalnin's castle at:

Coral Castle Museum
28655 South Dixie Highway
Miami, FL 33033
(305) 248-6345

Opens daily at 8 am
Tour groups welcome
Available for events

Or you may visit the Coral Castle website by clicking here.