BY The Telegraph—
Alec Garrard, 78, a retired farmer has spent more than 30 years building an enormous scale model of Herod’s temple. And get this – it’s still unfinished! He dedicated a massive 33,000 hours to constructing the ancient temple, which measures a whopping 20ft by 12ft. He hand-baked and painted every clay brick and tile and even sculpted 4,000 tiny human figures to populate the courtyards. He 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. With this, his wife thinks he is nuts!
“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.
“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.”
He started this epic project in his 40s, and says his masterpiece will not be finished in his lifetime.
