Tucked away on a property in the swamps you’ll find something medieval that will transport you to another time.
- A blast from the past at 'Solomon's Castle'
- Solomon's Castle is located in Ona, Florida
- Castle is hand made with old, unique items
We took the winding roads to this secluded property in this week’s Florida on a Tankful, with greetings from Ona.
On a typical Florida day this place almost sparkles in the sun.
“I thought as a little girl everyone's dad created things," Alane Solomon said, "I had no idea he was creating an entire kingdom.”
A kingdom that might rival the ones in classic fairy tales and for Alane this fairy tale is one she's called home for her entire life.
“We all worked here and and raised families here. He had four generations living here before he passed away last year," Alane said of her father Howard Solomon.
What might make it most incredible though is the thought Howard put into creating this 10,000 square foot castle.
Outside the castle you’ll look up and see dozens of incredible stained glass windows, but it's not until you're inside the castle you’ll actually see they’re all hand made.
In fact, the entire building is handmade, from unique items, even the siding outside is made from old aluminum printing plates.
“It’s been said that the castle is almost a time capsule because you could pull off the aluminum printing plates and read old news dating back 50 years ago," Alane said.
Guided tours are brought through daily showing off the incredible architecture and inside you’ll find hundreds of pieces of artwork as unique as the building itself.
Howard spent years collecting what some might call trash and creating art displays. All of Howard's art work is made out of recycled objects, ranging from old tin cans to used car parts.
“Dad was often called 'the DaVinci of debris,' 'the wizard of odds and ends,' and 'the savior of salvage,' and he truly was," Alane said.
If you’re looking to take a little stroll through a more medieval time, “Solomon’s Castle” might just be the perfect way to get a little blast from the past.
“He not only made this castle but he really did create a kingdom for all of us," Alane said.
Solomon’s Castle is open everyday of the week, expect Monday’s, from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and on weekend’s they’re open till 4 p.m.
Admission to the park’s grounds are free and guests are asked to buy tickets for the tour of the home and Howard’s work.