Guide to Miniature Art and Attractions in Western Europe - Not for Collectors Only

Attention Lilliputians, elves, gnomes, fairies, sprites and other creatures of diminutive stature: this guide pays tribute to the tiny artistic works of your forbears. For who else would recreate the major monuments of the world in miniature or reproduce famed paintings on a grain of rice?

Miniature art and attractions abound in Western Europe and should be part of every tourist itinerary, not just that of collectors. This guide describes some of the best miniature art and attractions to be found on the continent.

Museo de Micro Miniatures, Guadelest, Spain

At the Museo de Micro Minatures, Calle de la Iglesia, 5, Guadalest (Alicante), Tel.(+34) 965 885 062,artworks appear on surprising and miniscule "canvases." Imagine seeing famous paintings miniaturized to fit on a grain of rice... or a fly's wing. From a full Bible inscribed on a piece of hair to a fiddle fit for an ant, the miniatures here amaze. This is a place where visitors might literally see a camel pass through the eye of a needle.

Brupark, Brussels, Belgium

A major children's attraction in Brussels is the Bruparck, Bd. de Centainaire, 20 Eeuwfeestlaan, (enter through The Village), Tel. 00 322 474 8383. The Mini-Europe exhibition is a fabulous child-size introduction to the cities and monuments of Europe. To draw children into the history and culture of the continent, let them push the buttons that topple the Berlin wall, spark an eruption in Mt. Vesuvius or trigger other defining events at the dramatic, interactive exhibits.

Italia in Miniatura, Rimini, Italy

Italia in Miniatura, 47811 Viserbadi,Rimini, Tel. 0541 736 736, Email: info@italiainminiatura.com, www.italiainminiatura.com, is for those having a love affair with the country and all its glorious monuments and architecture. There are 272 reproductions of mainly significant Italian landmarks here, although other key European landmarks are allotted some acreage. The reproductions are on a 1:125 to 1:150 scale. Besides permitting visitors to see all of Italy in a day, this park has some fun rides and attractions: three water rides including a unique slingshot ride and acquacannons that allow bathing-suit clad Knights from one castle to fire upon bathing-suit clad Knights from another. There is a science fair with interactive science exhibits and an interactive driving school. A show introduces key events in Italian history to those who loved the miniatures and crave additional information.

Puppenhausmuseum, Basel, Switzerland

The largest doll house museum in Europe, Puppenhausmuseum, Steinenvorstadt 1, Ch-4051 Basel, Tel 41 0 61 225 95 95, houses the world's largest collection of teddy bears (2500) as well as dolls, doll houses and carousels on a scale of 1:12. This is the miniatures museum doll house collectors, doll collectors, and teddy bear collectors flock to when visiting Europe.

Miniatur Wunderland, Hamburg, Germany

Already the largest HO model railroad layout in the world and growing each day, Miniatur Wunderland, in the Kultur & Gewerbespeicher, Kehrwieder 2, Block D, 20457 Hamburg, has expanded from floor to floor and even through ceilings. Building this magnificent train world has already taken years and promises to continue for many more. Weekly progress updates are posted on the website www.miniatur-wunderland.de to enable model train enthusiasts to keep up with the latest developments. Work hours on the different sections of the layout are in the hundreds of thousands range and costs in the millions.

These HO 1:87 scale models are digitally controlled as they chug through diverse landscapes representing micro-neighborhoods of the world. From the Grand Canyon and Cape Canaveral in the United States to the Alps in Switzerland, to Norway's fjords and Northern Lights, the trains pass cliffs, beaches, zoos, fun fairs and other realistic attractions. Avid collectors, start drooling now: the builders' ultimate goal is to power 1,000 trains with 15,000 cars. Their tracks will wind through scenery that includes 150,000 trees, 5,000 structures and bridges, 5.000 vehicles and 150,000 figures on 10,000 meters of track. If that's not enough numbers to make your head spin, it will take 250,000 LEDs and lamps to create the lighting. Day turns to night and a new day begins on fifteen minute cycles with twinkling lights signaling the start of dusk. Visitors to this anything but miniature in scope miniature size train world push action buttons to trigger events within the towns. Some of these events include scoring soccer goals, setting a shark off in search of diver prey and sending a train into a mine. Visitors can also watch as trains, track and scenery are added to the layout.

Warning to family of HO model train collectors: Guard your walls and ceilings. Miniatur Wunderland has been known to give HO model train collectors "ideas."

Who says miniature has to be "small"?