What are the Watts Towers?
The Watts Towers are a series of interconnected structures in the Los Angeles neighborhood of Watts. These structures have become famous around the world, and they are one of the few works of folk art which have been accepted onto the United States National Register of Historic Places. Today, the site is maintained by the California parks department, and it is open to any visitors who wish to see it. Several things about the Watts Towers are distinctive and worthy of note. The first is the sheer size of the project; there are 17 structures, several of which are almost 100 feet (30 meters) tall. The structures are covered in ornate mosaics and decorations, representing thousands of hours of work, and they were built entirely by one man, Sabato Rodia, in his spare time. Many visitors to the towers are also amazed to learn that they were built by hand, without the assistance of heavy machinery or other equipment.
