Credit: Soloman’s Castle by Sam Howzit licensed under the terms of CC BY-2.0
This week’s crazy building is Solomon’s Castle in Ona, Florida.
As strange as this 12,000 square foot home looks at first glance, it only gets weirder from there. It was built in the 1970s by Howard Solomon over the course of twelve years in the middle of a Floridian swamp. Inspired by medieval castles, he created the three-story structure along with a bell tower, a moat, and even a drawbridge.
Solomon used recycled metal scraps and other cast-off materials to create the castle. He covered the exterior in aluminum plating, giving it an even more unusual look.
Not satisfied with constructing something so odd that the locals thought he was crazy, he later spent four years building a replica Spanish galleon within the moat!
Over time, residents warmed up to Solomon’s Castle, and today it’s the region’s premier tourist attraction. Visitors can eat in the castle restaurant, book a night in the east tower, or host a variety of events ranging from car shows to weddings.
Dig deeper into some unusual castles in my posts on the Lonely Castle, Mystery Castle, and Swallow’s Nest.
