Los Angeles Folk Art

Watts Towers: Simon Rodia’s Soaring Mosaic Spire Masterpiece

Los Angeles, California, United States

By the Wicked Cool Places editors · Published Wed, Mar 18, 2026 · Updated Fri, Aug 28, 2026

Why it’s cool

This sprawling complex of 17 steel-and-mortar spires was hand-built by a single immigrant laborer over three decades. Using discarded tiles and sea shells, Simon Rodia transformed a suburban lot into a world-renowned monument of vernacular architecture.

West Coast Historic

Low-angle view of the Watts Towers' intricate mosaic-covered steel spires reaching toward a cloudy sky.

Rising from a residential neighborhood in South Los Angeles, the Watts Towers represent one of the most ambitious solo construction projects in American history. For more than three decades, an Italian immigrant named Sabato “Simon” Rodia spent his evenings and weekends transforming a small plot of land into a soaring forest of steel and mortar.

Known to Rodia as *Nuestro Pueblo*, or “Our Town,” this collection of 17 interconnected structures stands as a testament to individual persistence and the beauty of found objects.

Why It Stands Out

What makes the towers truly remarkable is that Rodia built them entirely alone, without a blueprint or heavy machinery. Using only hand tools and window-washer’s equipment, he raised two of the spires to heights exceeding 99 feet.

The skeletons of the structures are made from steel pipes and rods wrapped in wire mesh, but the skin is where the magic happens. Rodia encrusted the mortar with a vibrant mosaic of porcelain, glass, and ceramic tiles.

A similar dedication to tilework can be found at the Mosaic Tile House. Much of the material came from his job at Malibu Pottery, where he salvaged damaged pieces that would have otherwise been discarded.

Local children, including a young Charles Mingus, also contributed by bringing him shards of pottery and glass. Look closely and you will see an eclectic mix of bed frames, sea shells, and soda bottles embedded into the walls, creating a textured surface that catches the California sun from every angle.

The nearby Phantasma Gloria also uses glass and sunlight to create a shimmering effect.

Before You Go

The towers are situated in the Watts district, within sight of the 103rd Street-Kenneth Hahn Metro station. While you can view the spires from outside the fence, the only way to step inside the complex is through a guided tour.

These tours are managed by the Watts Towers Arts Center, located right next door. Another local site featuring intricate mosaics is the Garden of Oz.

The guides offer essential historical context and point out specific symbolic details that are easy to miss on your own.

Questions worth answering

How did these structures get built without a crew?

Simon Rodia worked solo for thirty years using simple hand tools and gear meant for washing windows. He didn't use blueprints or heavy equipment to raise these seventeen steel skeletons.

What exactly is embedded in the mortar?

You'll find a mix of sea shells, old bed frames, and soda bottles throughout the mosaic. Much of the glass and porcelain came from damaged pieces salvaged from Malibu Pottery.

Can we walk through the spires on our own?

The only way to get inside the fence is by booking a guided tour. The Watts Towers Arts Center handles these visits and provides the necessary historical context.

How do we get to the towers using public transit?

The site is a short walk from the 103rd Street-Kenneth Hahn Metro station. We recommend taking the Metro Rail Blue Line for the most direct route to the neighborhood.

Visit Snapshot

Access to the interior of the towers is restricted to guided tours departing from the Watts Towers Arts Center. These tours are the best way to learn about the site's symbolism and the stories behind Rodia's work.

The site is easily accessible via the Metro Rail Blue Line.

Location

Los Angeles, California

Know before you go

The only way to access the towers is to purchase a ticket to a guided tour from then Watts Towers Arts Center, next to the site. Guides have an enormous amount of insight into symbolic details, stories to tell, and are great at answering questions.

Editorial source

Watts Towers

The Watts Towers in the Watts district of Los Angeles, California, are a collection of 17 interconnected structures, two of which reach heights of over 99 feet (30 m). The Towers were built by Italian immigrant construction worker Sabato ("Sam" or "Simon") Rodia in his spare time over a period of 33 years, from 1921 to 1954.

The work is a superb example of non-traditional vernacular architecture. The Towers are located near (and visible from) the 103rd Street-Kenneth Hahn Station of the Metro Rail LACMTA Blue Line.

The sculptures' armatures are constructed from steel pipes and rods, wrapped with wire mesh, and coated with mortar. The main supports are embedded with pieces of porcelain, tile, and glass.

The work is decorated with found objects: bed frames, bottles, ceramic tiles, scrap metal and sea shells all protrude from the towers. Rodia called the towers Nuestro Pueblo, meaning "our town." Rodia built them with no special equipment or (so far as is known) predetermined design, working alone with hand tools and window-washer's equipment.

Neighborhood children (including jazz bassist Charles Mingus) brought pieces of broken glass and pottery to Rodia in hopes they would be added to the project, but the majority of Rodia's material consisted of damaged pieces from the Malibu Pottery, where he worked for many years.