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The coral castle, by edward leedskalnin

Coral Castle in Homestead, Florida, is one of the most amazing structures ever built. In terms of accomplishment, it’s been compared to Stonehenge, ancient Greek temples, and even the great pyramids of Egypt. It is amazing – some even say miraculous – because it was quarried, fashioned, transported, and constructed by one man: Edward Leedskalnin, a 5-ft. tall, 100-lb. Latvian immigrant.

Many men have single-handedly built their own homes, but Leedskalnin’s choice of building materials is what makes his undertaking so incredible. He used huge blocks of coral rock, some weighing as much as 30 tons, and somehow was able to move them and set them in place without assistance or the use of modern machinery. And therein lies the mystery. How did he do it?

As I walked through the tower where he slept and kept his shop, I noted how simple his hand tools were, mainly fashioned from recycled car parts. He did have a large tripod that had chains and pulleys which I am sure he probably used as a crane of sorts. Even so, there is absolutely nothing there at all that could have possibly helped him achieve this accomplishment without some other kind of force or energy.

~piscean )-( delusions - the coral castle, by edward leedskalnin

Perhaps the most spectacular of Ed's carvings is a huge nine-ton stone door through which he drilled an eight-foot longitudinal hole that was precisely aligned with the stone’s center of gravity. Edward fitted the hole with a shaft resting on an automobile gear, and then installed the door. The door fits within a quarter of an inch of the walls on either side. The door is so perfectly balanced that it may be easily pushed open by a five-year old child using one finger.
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