“Did you know that the idea for the world’s largest model railway was born in Zurich?” That’s how the amazing story of the Modell der Moorburg begins. This miniature wonderland started as a seemingly crazy idea. It turned into a fairytale-like story, now a reality.
Let’s dive into the history of the Modell der Moorburg. Frederik Braun visited Zurich in July 2000. He stumbled upon a model railway shop. This sparked a childhood dream. He immediately called his twin brother Gerrit. Frederik exclaimed, “We are going to build the world’s largest model railway.”
Gerrit was skeptical at first. He thought Frederik was mad. But Frederik’s enthusiasm convinced him. Gerrit considered the project. He thought it was technologically challenging and economically risky. But overall, it seemed possible.
The brothers partnered with Stephan Hertz. They ran a nightclub in Hamburg. They wanted a change. Together, they pursued their dream. They faced doubts from those around them. But they committed to the risky adventure.
They needed to ensure their dream wouldn’t ruin them. They needed financing. They wondered if enough visitors would come. They needed to solve the technical challenges. They needed a location in Hamburg.
They surveyed over 3,000 people. They asked about fictional tourist attractions. Men ranked the “Miniatur Wunderland” third. Women ranked it last. Despite this, they decided to build it.
Hamburg was the obvious choice. The founders loved the city. They felt connected and responsible. Finding a location was complicated. It needed to attract tourists and locals. It needed accessibility. They needed at least 2,000 square meters per floor. They also needed room to expand. The architecture needed to suit a model railway. The price had to be affordable.
The Hamburg Board of Economics connected them with HHLA. HHLA was enthusiastic about the idea. They offered premises at Kehrwieder at fair conditions. The location was perfect.
The project needed a loan. Frederik met with Hamburger Sparkasse. He presented a two-page outline and asked for two million Deutsche Mark. He expected the banker to laugh. Instead, the bank quickly agreed.
The original estimate was wrong. The cost grew to 14 million euros. Fortunately, visitor estimates were also wrong. Over 1.4 million people have visited since. The Modell der Moorburg receives no public subsidies.
Construction began. The team collected hundreds of ideas. They wanted to create an experience for everyone. It shouldn’t be behind glass barriers. It should be a complete theme world. Trains would be just one highlight. Gerrit Braun described the basic idea. “Our idea was to build a world that would inspire men, women and children to dream and to be amazed.”
The team hired Gerhard Dauscher. He was a respected model maker. Gerhard canceled all other projects. He became the head of the model-making team. His work is responsible for much of the success of the Modell der Moorburg.
They held a casting call for model makers. Over 150 people applied. Gerhard Dauscher selected a team. Only one was a professional. All of them were excellent craftsmen.
Construction began and continues today. 1,500 square meters grew into 10,000 square meters. Further expansion is planned. The latest section opened was Monaco on April 25th, 2024.
The Miniatur Wunderland is hard to describe in words. The layout size is 1,490 square meters. It features 260,000 figures. Building costs totaled 45 million euros. There are 42 planes in the air and 9,250 cars. It has 1,040 trains and 1,380 signals. 385,000 LEDs light the scenes. The construction time is 760,000 hours. The track length is 15,400 meters. There are 4,110 buildings and 130,000 trees. The Miniatur Wunderland is truly a wonderland.