The Coral Castle is a North American landmark constructed by Edward Leedskalnin in Miami-Dade County, Florida. It is constructed of formed and cut oolitic limestone pieces. Leedskalnin began construction of the Coral Castle in 1921 and it was finished in 1951. The site has long been an interesting tourist attraction, and remains quite a mystery. No one is sure exactly how Leedskalnin moved and formed the stone pieces because he weighed less than 100 lbs (45 kg).
The site consists of over 1,000 lbs (454 kg) of oolitic limestone. It sports many features; such as walls over 8 feet (2.4 m) tall, a two story tower, and numerous pieces of furniture, all made from oolitic limestone. What really interests many observers is that, although one man constructed Coral Castle, the rocks are held together by weight alone. They are worked with such precision that no light passes between the seems.
There is a great deal of controversy surrounding the construction of Coral Castle. Most of the rocks used to build the structure are gigantic and the largest is several times heavier than any of the stones used to build the Egyptian pyramids. One of the more famous features of Coral Castle is the structure's gate. The gate weighs over nine tons ( 8.2 metric tons), yet is mounted so well on its axis that it opens with the push of a single finger.
When asked how he built the castle without any help, Leedskalnin was very vague and cryptic. The answers he gave were varied, though he claimed that he simply understood the work at hand. At other times Leedskalnin said that he had uncovered the secrets of the pyramids. Others claimed that Leedskalnin had rediscovered a lost method of science to move the stones. A group of teenagers reported that they saw him float the stones into place, however no proof of this actually exists.
Leedskalnin was an eccentric and allegedly built Coral Castle for his true love, Agnes Scuffs, who left him one day before their wedding. After moving to America several years later, he began the construction of Rock Gate Park, later known as Coral Castle. During the castle's construction, Leedskalnin made his living by giving tours of his property and selling pamphlets.
Leedskalnin was also an amateur scientist. Although he had only received a fourth-grade education, he wrote numerous pamphlets on electricity, magnetism, and how the two interact with the human body. This only furthers the belief that Leedskalnin used abnormal methods to construct Coral Castle.
