From the archive
Himeji Castle Replica Made From Legos that Opens Like a Pop-Up Book
Himeji Castle (photo by Bernard Gagnon)Himeji Castle dates back almost 700 years and is the largest and most visited castle in Japan. The central tower is a monumental 5-tiered structure (in reality it has 6 floors and a basement) that sits atop a hill. A Lego recreation of the castle would be impressive in itself. But a Japanese Lego enthusiast has taken it a step further by creating a replica of the castle that begins flat and then opens up and pops-out like a pop-up book.
Going by the moniker talapz, the Lego master created the Himeji Castle replica over a span of 15 months. No other forms of connectors, bolts or adhesives were used: only Legos. It’s mesmerizing to watch the Lego castle rise up and begin to take shape.
The most difficult part, writes talapz, was controlling the weight, which clocks in at 12.5 kg (28 lbs). The replica even includes a nearby well and corner turret.
We’ve seen a lot of Legos but we’ve never seen them do something like this.