World Art Utopia

Coral Castle

Coral Castle in Homestead, Florida: a tall crescent moon and a smaller one carved from rough coral rock, rising behind a low wall of huge stone blocks and a stone column topped with a mushroom-shaped cap.
Artwork FileHomestead, Florida, United States

Coral Castle

SeenMay 2017

Edward Leedskalnin · 1923–1951 · Homestead, Florida, United States

Photo: Carol M. Highsmith / Library of Congress, via Wikimedia Commons (public domain, color corrected)

Edward Leedskalnin carved Coral Castle's stone furniture near Homestead. Rocking chairs and a nine-ton gate turn heavy material into objects associated with everyday movement. Source Source Source Checked

Latest dated evidence checked: Photographed May 2017. This is not a present-day condition survey. Source Reported

💡 4 things to know

  1. The stone has a geological nameThe National Register nomination identifies the material as oolitic limestone. Source Reported
  2. A move with exceptionsThe nomination says Leedskalnin moved the freestanding sculptures except one, leaving permanent structures behind and rebuilding at the new site. Source Reported
  3. Furniture on an enormous scaleFlorida tourism describes stone rocking chairs and a nine-ton gate that once moved with a light touch. Source Reported
  4. A workshop below a homeThe National Register nomination describes the tower's ground floor as Leedskalnin's workshop and the upper storey as his living quarters. Source Reported

📍 Where it is

28655 South Dixie Highway · Homestead, Florida, United States Source Checked

Open in Maps

Map search; no clearly framed Street View image was verified.

🗓️ Sightings

  1. 1923

    Construction begins at the first site.

  2. 1937

    Relocation year in the nomination; other accounts describe a multi-year move.

  3. 1951

    End of construction period reported by Florida tourism.

  4. 198410 May

    Listed on the National Register as Rock Gate.

  5. 201116 Feb

    State requests changing the official listing name to Coral Castle.

  6. 201728 May

    Pennington.beau photographs the stone sculptures. Camera date.

Green stamps mark dated photographs; amber stamps mark records or reports. Publication dates are not camera dates.

✅ The facts

Creator
Edward Leedskalnin Source Checked
Construction span
1923–1951 Source Reported
Material
Oolitic limestone Source Checked
Relocation chronology
The heritage nomination uses 1937; Florida tourism describes a three-year move starting in 1936. We use the official record for the nominal relocation year and retain the broader account. Source Source Conflicting
Historic listing
Listed as Rock Gate on 10 May 1984 Source Checked
Address
28655 South Dixie Highway, Homestead Source Checked
Dated photographic evidence
Photographed on 28 May 2017 Source Checked

🔗 Related

All sources & image credits

Photo: Carol M. Highsmith / Library of Congress, via Wikimedia Commons (public domain, color corrected)

Last checked: 26 October 2026 · How we verify art