Built by one man over 34 years
Watts Towers is often listed as one of Los Angeles’s quirky architectural spots — it even brings to mind Salvation Mountain.
Simon Rodia (born 1879), a skilled cement and tile worker, once said he had “a desire to do something, to do something big.” Starting at age 42, he worked alone in his spare time for 34 years to create the Watts Towers.
The structure consists of three tall towers. The towers and the surrounding constructions are embedded with glass, ceramics, shells, tiles and many other materials. From a distance they glitter; up close the craftsmanship is so intricate it’s dizzying.
After finishing the towers in 1954 at the age of 75, Rodia moved to Martinez, California, where his sister lived, and he never saw the Watts Towers again before his death from a heart attack in 1965. Over the years the towers were sold and resold by neighbors, and today they are protected and managed as an important cultural asset of the state of California.
How to visit Watts Towers
First — the neighborhood isn’t the safest, so I recommend going by car, with at least one companion, and visiting during daytime.
Guided tour times
Fri：11:00am-3:00pm
Sat：10:30am-3:00pm
Sun：12:30pm-3:00pm
Admission (as listed on the page)
General：$7.00
Seniors：$3.00
Ages 13−17：$3.00
12 and under：Free
(If your group is 15 or more, call ahead.)
If you prefer a self-guided visit, there are seven interpretive panels around the site you can read.
Wattws Towers Arts Center Campus
Address: 1727 East 107th St., Los Angeles, CA 90002
Official site: www.wattstowers.org
Street parking is generally available nearby (free).
