In 1879, a French postman began pocketing odd stones he found on his mail route, and over the next 33 years, he built an entire fantasy palace by hand, alone, stone by stone

A French mail carrier named Ferdinand Cheval secretly built an elaborate palace over thirty-three years. He began this monumental task after stumbling upon an unusually shaped stone during his daily route. Cheval worked mostly alone at night, using lime, mortar, and cement to construct his dream. His unique creation, the Palais idéal, features diverse architectural influences and carved figures.