Voltage-gated calcium (Ca) channels are miniature membrane transistors that convert membrane electrical signals to intracellular Ca transients that trigger many physiological events. In mammals, there are ten subtypes of Ca channel, among which Ca1.1 is the first Caα1 to be cloned. Ca1.1 is specified for the excitation-contraction coupling of skeletal muscles, and has been a prototype in the structural investigations of Ca channels. This article summarized the recent advances in the structural elucidation of Ca1.1 and the mechanistic insights derived from the 3.6 Å structure obtained using single-particle, electron cryomicroscopy. The structure of the Ca1.1 complex established the framework for mechanistic understanding of excitation-contraction coupling and provides the template for molecular interpretations of the functions and disease mechanisms of Ca and Na channels.