Miniature park

A miniature park is a display of miniature buildings and models, usually as a recreational and tourist attraction open to the public. A miniature park may contain a model of a single city or town, often called a miniature city or model village, or it can contain a number of different sets of models.

Park Mini-Europe in Brussels, Belgium
Model of a Provençal village in France Miniature, Élancourt, France

History
Bekonscot, in England, was one of the first model villages to become a tourist attraction

There is evidence to suggest the existence of private model villages and miniature parks since the 19th century, but it was only in the 1930s to 1950s that the genre became tourist attractions. Early examples include Bekonscot in the UK and Madurodam in The Hague.

Variations on a theme

Most model villages and parks are built to a consistent scale; varying from 1:76 as used by the intricately detailed Pendon in England up to the 1:9 scale of Wimborne Model Town.

There has been a move away from the model village concept since the mid- to late 20th century towards a miniature park concept. Model villages are typically larger-scale, sit in a cohesive miniature landscape and allow viewing and physical interaction with the exhibits, such as publicly accessed streets and urban areas. Miniature parks however, are primarily concerned with the display of exhibits in their own right, viewed from a distance. Model railways, rivers and roads may provide a continuation between miniature parks exhibits.

List of notable miniature parks

Europe
Minimundus

Austria
Mini-Europe

Belgium

Denmark

Many Danish towns also have extensive miniature towns from historic periods (normally 1900s). Some of the most significant include:

  • Den Historiske Miniby, Fredericia (circa 1849)
  • Kjøge Mini-By, Køge (circa 1865)
  • Minibyen i Varde, Varde (circa 1866)
  • Kolding Miniby, Kolding (circa 1860-1870)
France Miniature

France

Germany
Italia in miniatura

Italy
Madurodam

Netherlands

Portugal

Russia

Slovakia

Spain

Switzerland
Kyiv in Miniature

Ukraine
An overview of the Babbacombe Model Village

United Kingdom

Americas
Former Cullen Gardens and Miniature Village, Whitby, Ontario

Brazil

Canada
Archetypal replica of a German village at the Germany Pavilion in Epcot, Disney World

Chile

United States

Asia/Pacific Region
Window of the World, Shenzhen

Australia

China
Jambi Pavilion in Taman Mini Indonesia Indah

Indonesia
Replica of St Peter's Basilica in Tobu World Square, Japan

Japan

Malaysia

Thailand

Israel
Hagia Sophia at Miniatürk

Turkey

References


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