Coral Castle

Coral Castle is a major tourist attraction in Miami, Florida. It is also known as Rock Gate. People from all corners of the world come to see this architectural marvel. During your tour to Miami, you should visit this place.

Coral Castle is basically a stone construction made by Edward Leedskalnin, a Latvian American citizen. It is situated to the north of Homestead city in Miami-Dade County, Florida at the meeting point of Southwest 157th Avenue and U.S. 1 or South Dixie Highway. The construction consists of various megalithic stones (by and large limestone produced from coral) and every stone weighs many tons. At present, Coral Castle is a privately-held sightseeing attraction. In 1984, Coral Castle was included in the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP).

Features of Coral Castle

The foundation of Coral Castle comprises 1,100 short tons (1,000 t) of stones discovered as sculptures, fences, a castle tower and furniture. Though it is popularly denoted as being created by coral, it is essentially created by oolite, also named as oolitic limestone. It is a form of sedimentary rock that includes little round-shaped particles of concentrically covered carbonate that may consist of restricted absorptions of coral and fossil shells. Oolite is seen across southeastern Florida, starting from Palm Beach County to the Florida Keys. It is frequently discovered under only many inches of earth, for example at the Coral Castle location

The stones are tied to each other without any bonding. They are merely placed over each other, utilizing their massive weight to maintain them as one. Nevertheless, the artistry aspect is so adept that the stones are joined with such care that no light can penetrate the joints. The (2.4 m) 8-foot high upright stones that create the boundary wall have a consistent height. In spite of the course of time and a straight strike by the Category 5 Hurricane Andrew on August 24, 1992, which destroyed almost everything in the region, the stones of the castle have not moved.

Numerous aspects and sculptures of the Coral Castle are remarkable. Among them are a two-story castle tower that was the residential area of Leedskalnin, fences wholly comprising 8-foot tall pieces of rock, a Polaris telescope, a precise timepiece, a barbecue, a stone pillar, a fountain, a water well, several types of furniture and fixtures, and outer space bodies and stars. Furniture and fixtures comprise a table figured like Florida, a table shaped like a heart, twenty-five recliner chairs, chairs shaped like crescent moons, beds, a bathing tub, and an imperial throne.

Coral Castle Museum
There is also a museum at the Coral Castle that is known as the Coral Castle Museum. The museum is available for events like birthday parties and family get together. Given below are important information related to this museum:

Cost of Admission
Adults: $9.75 each
Children, under 6: No charge
Children, ages 7-12: $5.00 each
Senior Citizens, 62+: $6.50 each

Hours of Operation
Sunday – Thursday 8 am – 6 pm
Friday and Saturday 8 am – 8 pm

Group Rates
At present, there are many group rates available. For further details, you can contact Laura Maye at (305) 248-6345 or send an email to Laura with your group details at lauramaye@coralcastle.com.

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

The museum opens daily at 8 am.