The Wunderland is hard to describe in words. There are only so many times you can say 'big!', 'amazing!', 'detailed!', etc. So, here you can find a brief chart with Miniatur Wunderland related facts that aren't only interesting to die hard model builders.

The Miniatur Wunderland grows steadily. There are currently 8 complete construction areas.

Here are a few facts about the existing sections:

Highlights: Beautiful landscapes, revolutionary Car system with fire engines actually operating. Beautiful Alps with functional lifts. A large carnival, a very long highspeed route for the ICE-train, and much more.

Highlights: Busy train operation, unique city with Hamburg’s landmarks such as St. Michaels Church (Michel), Imtec  Arena (with 12,000 figures), Köhlbrandbridge, St. Pauli Landungsbrücken (harbour piers), Historic warehouse district, the harbour, Hagenbecks Zoo and so on…

Highlights: Grand Canyon, Las Vegas with its more than 30,000 lights, the Rocky Mountains, the amazing Carsystem with American fire engines, Miami, the Everglades, Area 51, Cape Canaveral, Pueblo villages, logging camps and so on…

Highlights: Denmark, Sweden, Norway, and Finland. Real water, Northern lights, high and low tide, Artic Sea, moose, navigating ships and snow…

This section was the most demanding from a modeller's point of view. The 5-6 meters high summits of Switzerland's Alps loom through a 100 sqm large hole in the ceiling. Trains snake through stunning canyons to the third floor, where the bulk of the Switzerland Alps is emerging. On a twined metal staircaise which leads through the inner of the Alps passing stalactite caves and grottos, you will reach the new floor. Here you have an astonishing view on the mountains whose peaks vanish in the clouds (ceiling :-)). Ticino will only be a few steps away from there. With its characteristic landscape and lake it will definitely be a very special part in the Wunderland world. Not only Ticino will be built in Wunderland, but 3 cantons in total will be established in Wunderland's Switzerland.  

Many different features have been installed in the area of the three cantons such as a functioning chocolate factory and an open air festival featuring DJ Bobo.

Work on our "Mini"-Switzerland started in October 2005 and the modelling team of Gerhard Dauscher worked almost day and night. Finally, on November 12th 2007, our Switzerland was inaugurated with a great ceremony.

The 150 sqm large airport, located in the middle of the Alps, is a big technical challenge. Since May 2004, already, the technology is being developed to find a solution for a realistic simulation of takeoffs and landings. The Airport has been opened in May 2011. Besides the simulation for takeoff and landing, there is a large advanced Carsystem which moves not only vehicles, but also airplanes. The Airport is the largest model airport and is technically as groundbreaking as the Carsystem. More information, Picures, and videos, you will find in Gerrits' Diary. 

There are open-to-view workshops and construction areas in Miniatur Wunderland. This means that you can actually see our modellers and technicians work on new parts, and you can better understand how much effort we put into this exhibit.

We already have new construction plans until 2020, and we have many more ideas for other building projects. It is certain that we will build Italy and France after having finished the construction of the airport. After that there are different options available. Presently our favourites are Africa, England or a futuristic landscape. Here are some facts and figures for the two sections following the Airport:

Bordering France and the Swiss Alps, we'll build Italy. Luckily, we were able to acquire 800 sqm rental space last winter, so we'll drop the bistro area down from the 3rd to the 2nd floor. Thus, most of the 3rd floor will be available for further sections. Italy will get about 100 sqm, where we plan to place highlights such as Venice, Roma, Pisa or Tuscany.

On the 3rd floor, our 10th section will start with the southern most point of Ticino. The French Mediterranean coast with highlights such as St. Tropez and Monaco will be constructed here. Currently, we are discussing whether to build further into the inland, and also whether to build Paris. It is a question of available space , as always!