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Los Angeles has never been shy about excess. But some homes go beyond luxury and embrace the bizarre.<\/p>\n
From Jaws-like mansions tied to murder legends to a flying saucer house perched on a single pillar, these architectural oddities are more than just eye candy.<\/p>\n
These are the properties that make even jaded Angelenos do a double take, and the strange stories hidden behind walls.<\/p>\n
john soden house<\/strong><\/p>\nLocated in the heart of the trendy Eastside Los Feliz neighborhood, the John Sowden House is a Mayan revival fortress and a must-see.<\/p>\nJohn Sowden House (5121 Franklin Avenue) CA post<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n<\/aside>\nDesigned and built in 1926 by Frank Lloyd Wright’s son, Lloyd Wright, the house is known as “Joe’s House.” CA post<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\nBuilt in 1926 and designed by Lloyd Wright (Frank Lloyd Wright’s son), the building is nicknamed “Jaw’s House” because its jagged concrete fa\u00e7ade resembles a gaping mouth ready to bite.<\/p>\n
But this house’s history is darker than its windowless exterior. In the 1940s, it was owned by Dr. George Hodel, the main suspect in the infamous Black Dahlia murders. <\/p>\n
Although nothing was proven in court, Hodel’s own son, a homicide detective, later claimed that his father committed the gruesome murder of Elizabeth Short in the basement of this iconic home.<\/p>\n
Once inside the house, its mystique increases even further. A narrow, cave-like entrance leads to a hidden courtyard. He was reportedly last traded in 2022 for $6.16 million.<\/p>\n
The Spadena House<\/strong><\/p>\nThe Witch’s House is located at 516 Walden Drive in Beverly Hills. CA post<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\nBest known as the Witch’s House, this building looks like something out of a fairy tale and is completely out of place in Beverly Hills. <\/p>\n
Although the intentionally pitched roof, small windows, and lily pad-filled moat make the building look like a relic from the 1600s, it was actually built for a movie studio in 1921 and moved to North Walden Drive in 1934. Although it looks like a ruin in design, it is actually a private residence that has been meticulously maintained. <\/p>\n
The house was threatened with demolition in the 1990s and almost disappeared forever, but preservationists intervened. Today, the house is one of the most photographed homes in Los Angeles and a favorite Halloween pilgrimage spot. <\/p>\n
Chemosphere<\/strong><\/p>\nChemosphere located at 7776 Tolleson Drive. CA post<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\nChemosphere CA post<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\nPerched on a single 29-foot-tall, 5-foot-wide concrete pillar atop a 45-degree slope in the Hollywood Hills, this octagonal wonder looks like it has descended from outer space. <\/p>\n
Designed by John Lautner in 1960, Chemosphere was built on a nearly impossible slope. So Lautner solved the problem by basically putting the house on a pedestal.<\/p>\n
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Since then, the building has become one of L.A.’s most iconic modernist homes and served as the inspiration for the house in Charlie’s Angels.<\/p>\n
However, its past is not so glamorous. A doctor named Richard F. Kuhn lived there in the 1970s, but was reportedly murdered in his bedroom in 1976 by Kuhn’s lover, accompanied by an accomplice. <\/p>\n
mosaic tile house<\/strong><\/p>\nMosaic Tile House, 71116 Palms Blvd. CA post<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\nThis house in Venice isn’t just decorated, it’s thoroughly used.<\/p>\n
From the sidewalk, this looks almost like a normal Venetian bungalow. If you step inside the gate, your retina might explode.<\/p>\n
Mosaic Tile House is where seemingly every square inch, from the kitchen sink to the bathroom walls, is covered in a kaleidoscopic explosion of crushed tile, glass, and ceramics.<\/p>\n
The Mosaic Tile House was renovated over the decades by artists Cheri Pan and Gonzalo Duran, who covered nearly every surface with hand-laid mosaic tiles. <\/p>\n
ivar castle<\/strong><\/p>\nIvar Castle, 2062 Ivar Ave. CA post<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\nIf you spot a tower rising through the trees in Hollywood, it’s Castle Ivar.<\/p>\n
Built in the 1920s, this sprawling castle with a rooftop Jacuzzi and stone ramparts looks more like something you’d find in medieval Europe than a mile off Hollywood Boulevard.<\/p>\n
Over the years, its moody, gothic vibe has attracted actors and creators like Prince and Idris Elba. The medieval-style castle is currently available to book as a six-bedroom rental on Airbnb for just over $2,000 a night. <\/p>\n
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