An island of whimsy in an urban landscape, this spot feels like stepping into a personal, joyously communal dream. Seventeen towering sculptures, embedded with shells, tiles, and broken pottery, rise like giant, inverted ice cream cones.
The Watts Towers are the singular vision of Simon Rodia, an Italian immigrant who spent 34 years building these 17 sculptures with no outside help and only the most elemental tools. These openwork spires, embedded with shells, tiles, and broken pottery, stand as a testament to one man's unwavering dedication.