Winchester house

The Winchester Mystery House in San Jose, California  was designed and built by Sarah Winchester, the eccentric widow of gun magnate William Wirt Winchester and heiress of the Winchester fortune. The Victorian mansion contains so many unexplained odd features&mdash;secret passage ways, blind doors, windows placed in the floor, stairs going up to the ceiling&mdash;that 'Mystery' has become part of its name.

Construction began in 1884 and continued without interruption until Sarah's death in 1922. The constant building activities were meant to appease the spirits that came to haunt her. She believed these were the ghosts of the people killed by Winchester rifles. Because of all the extensions the layout of the house became so complex that even the owner and her servants needed a map to find their way. In all there are 160 rooms, 2000 doors, 10000 windows and 40 staircases.

The Winchester Mystery House is located at 525 South Winchester Boulevard in San Jose, California. Guided tours of the mansion are available and last about 65 minutes.