In 1879, a French postman picked up a strange stone. Over the next 33 years, he built one of Europe's most extraordinary palaces by hand

For 33 years, a French rural postman quietly spent his spare time collecting stones from the roadside, turning what began as a chance discovery into one of Europe's most unusual architectural landmarks. Joseph Ferdinand Cheval, better known as Ferdinand Cheval or Facteur Cheval, started building the Palais Idéal (Ideal Palace) in Hauterives, France, after stumbling across a strangely shaped stone during his postal route in April 1879.

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