The entire castle exterior is clad in thousands of salvaged aluminum printing plates sourced from local newspapers.
Howard Solomon designed and built the castle single-handedly over the course of several decades.
The onsite restaurant is physically shaped like a 60-foot Spanish galleon anchored in a man-made moat.
Many of the sculptures inside are kinetic or mechanical, often utilizing repurposed household junk.
The structure includes a fully functional, albeit eccentric, residential area where the artist lived.
The castle features a dedicated 'dungeon' area that functions as a gallery for some of the artist's more unusual metalwork creations.
Solomon's Castle is a 12,000-square-foot fortress constructed entirely from recycled aluminum printing plates. Located in the rural landscape of Ona, Florida, it serves as the lifelong workshop and gallery of artist Howard Solomon. The exterior features a moat, drawbridge, and turrets, while the interior houses hundreds of metal sculptures and stained-glass works created by the artist. Visitors access the structure via guided tours that navigate multiple levels of the eccentric living and working space. The grounds also contain a restaurant known as the Boat in the Moat, which is a full-scale replica of a 16th-century Spanish galleon. The site remains a family-operated destination that showcases the intersection of folk art and unconventional architecture. It is situated deep within a remote woodland area far from major urban centers.
The exterior view of the drawbridge and the Spanish galleon replica in the moat.
Wear comfortable, closed-toe walking shoes as the tour involves navigating various floor levels and metal stairs.
Check the official website before departing, as the remote location often leads to unexpected seasonal closures.
Bring bug spray if you plan to walk the grounds, as the surrounding Florida marshland can be dense with insects.
Do not attempt to visit without confirming the seasonal status, as the attraction frequently closes during the hottest summer months or for annual maintenance.
Closed on Mondays and Tuesdays; typically closed annually during the late summer months for maintenance.
Photography is restricted inside the castle; follow the guide's instructions regarding where cameras are permitted.
