Watts Towers
Soaring mosaic-tiled steel spires, built alone over decades from scavenged tile, glass and shells.
Location
About this audio guide
This guide to the Watts Towers tells the story of Sabato Rodia, an Italian immigrant tile-setter who spent thirty-three years alone building these spires from scavenged tile, glass, and shells, with no blueprints, scaffolding, or drawings. It follows why he called the towers Nuestro Pueblo, his decision to stop building in 1954 and give the property away the next year, and the city's 1959 decision to test whether the self-taught structure could survive a demolition crew's crane and cable.
This audio guide was created using AI.
Similar places
Mosaic Tile House Venice, CA
Bungalow-turned-folk-art-shrine, its every wall, path, and bench encrusted in millions of hand-broken ceramic fragments.
Ennis House
Mayan Revival hilltop residence built from thousands of hand-cast, patterned concrete blocks.
Hollyhock House
Concrete residence crowned with stylized hollyhock motifs, built for an oil heiress's abandoned arts complex.
Los Angeles Central Library
Historic Art Deco library crowned by a mosaic pyramid tower, rebuilt after a devastating nineteen eighty-six fire.
Bradbury Building
Victorian office atrium of iron railings and open cage elevators beneath a soaring glass-lit court.
The Gamble House
Craftsman mansion of hand-joined teak and oak, furnishings designed down to the doorknobs.