A
retired farmer has spent more than 30 years building
an enormous scale model of a Biblical temple.
Alec Gerrard has spent 30 years
constructing the ancient Herod's Temple
|
Alec Garrard, 78, has dedicated a
massive 33,000 hours to constructing the ancient
Herod's Temple , which measures a whopping 20ft by
12ft.
The pensioner has hand-baked and
painted every clay brick and tile and even sculpted
4,000 tiny human figures to populate the courtyards.
Historical experts believe the
model is the best representation in the world of what
the Jewish temple actually looked like and it has
attracted thousands of visitors from all over the
globe.
But Mr. Garrard, who started the
elaborate project in his 40's, says his masterpiece
will not be finished in his lifetime.
"I've always loved making
models and as I was getting older I started to think
about making one big project which would see me
through to the end of my life," he said.
"I have an interest in
buildings and religion so I thought maybe I could
combine the two and I came up with the idea of doing
the Temple .
"I'd seen one or two examples
of it in Biblical exhibitions, but I thought they
were rubbish and I knew I could do better.
"I have been working on it
for decades but it will never be finished as I'm
always finding something new to add."
Mr. Garrard, from Norfolk , spent
more than three years researching the Temple , which
was destroyed by the Romans 2000 years ago and deemed
to be one of the most remarkable buildings of ancient
times.
He then started to construct the
amazing 1:100 scale model, which is now housed in a
huge building in his back garden.
"Everything is made by hand.
I cut plywood frames for the walls and buildings and
all the clay bricks and tiles were baked in the oven
then stuck together," he said.
Mr. Garrard sculpted and painted
4,000 figures, measuring just half an inch and all
wearing their correct costumes including 32 versions
of Jesus.
Visitors come from all over the
world to see the model and Mr. Garrard provides
binoculars so they can see all the details.
In Pictures:
Model of Herod's Temple
All Pictures by: Geoff Robinson
Photography
Now, here's a
model of biblical proportions.. A retired farmer
has spent more than 30 years building an enormous
scale model of Herod's temple - and it is still not
finished
|
Alec Garrard, 78,
has dedicated a massive 33,000 hours to
constructing the ancient temple, which measures a
whopping 20ft by 12ft
|
The pensioner has
hand-baked and painted every clay brick and tile
and even sculpted 4,000 tiny human figures to
populate the courtyards
 |
But Mr. Garrard,
who started the epic project in his 40s, says his
masterpiece will not be finished in his lifetime
|
"I have an
interest in buildings and religion so I thought
maybe I could combine the two and I came up with
the idea of doing the temple"
|
"I'd seen one
or two examples of it in Biblical exhibitions, but
I thought they were rubbish and I knew I could do
better"
|
"I have also
sculpted and painted 4,000 figures, measuring just
half an inch and all wearing their correct
costumes"
|
"Each one
takes about three hours to make and there are 32
versions of Jesus, although no one can ever spot
him no matter how religious they are"
 |
Visitors come from
all over the world to see the model and Mr. Garrard
provides binoculars so they can see all the details
|
"I personally
know all the top archaeologists from Jerusalem and
I've had experts from the British Museum
visit," he says
 |
But he chases the
money-changers out of the temple: "I've had a
lot of offers from people to buy it, but it's not
for sale"
|
He says his wife
Kathleen thinks he is mad
|
He adds: "She
wishes she'd married a normal person"
|
Mr. Garrard, from
Norfolk , spent more than three years researching
the temple, which was destroyed by the Romans 2,000
years ago and deemed to be one of the most
remarkable buildings of ancient times
|
He then started to
construct the amazing 1:100 scale model, which is
now housed in a huge building in his back garden
|
"Everything
is made by hand. I cut plywood frames for the walls
and buildings and all the clay bricks and tiles
were baked in the oven then stuck together,"
he says
|
Built in 19BC by
King Herod the Great, the temple was flattened in
AD70, just six years after completion
|
In its heyday the
temple complex covered 36 acres - four times the
area of Windsor Castle
|
The Temple was
probably located on the site of what today is the
Dome of the Rock
|
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