The six-story-tall, 17,000-square-foot Gold Pyramid House in Wadsworth, Illinois has to be one of the most bizarre homes ever constructed. Its builders, Jim and Linda Onan explain in three nouns and two adjectives what their unique home represents: “Power, Gold, Mystery, Exotic, and Impressive.” The Onans are subscribers to the seventies cult theory of “pyramid power.” Their home is believed to be the largest 24-karat gold-plated object in North America.

Located on an island and surrounded by a giant moat, the Pyramid House has many remarkable features, including a 50-foot statue of King Tut, a metal palm tree and, a four car garage topped by three smaller pyramids.

The house sustained major fire damage on July 17, 2018. Its future is uncertain.

We explored Onan’s Gold Pyramid House on Obscura Day - March 20th, 2010.