In this issue we look at two very similar parks that display the same product, scale models of buildings. One is centered in The Hague in the Netherlands and one in Brussels is a city with universal in Europe. There is no doubt that such parks are the ideal complement to a trip if we go with children.

Photography by Jordanhill School D&T Dept

Let’s start with Madurodam, as they say is the «smallest city in Holland.» This is an outdoor park that reproduces the most typical places of the country to 1:25 scale to the smallest detail. We have this little wonder to Mrs. Boon-van der Bep and marriage Starper Maduro Willemstad. The first became involved in the project due to a business seeking to raise funds for hospital by copying an idea launched in Beaconsfield (England) and the second as a tribute to his son George who died of typhus in the Dachau concentration camp in 1945. Madurodam officially opened on July 2, 1952.

Photography by infomatique

Upon entering we met with the Port of Rotterdam (Europoort) and mobile models, yes, that planes, trains and ships move. The collection covers the entire country and is a good way to «see all» in just one day.

Some of the amazing miniature representations are:

Cathedral of St. John (‘s-Hertogenbosch)
Dom (Utrecht)
Peace Palace (The Hague)
Dam Square (Amsterdam)
Skyscraper Delftse Port (Rotterdam)
Godzilla between the Royal Palace and the Magna Plaza in Amsterdam.

We turn to the other star of this post, MiniEurope. This theme park is in Brussels at the foot of the Atomium monument in the park mythical Bruparck which hosted the International Exhibition of Brussels 1958.

Atomium (Brussels) This park opened in 1989 and since then remains one of the many (and large) city attractions. It has some 350 models that cover 80 European cities. (Note: the Atomium photo is the real one, not a model).

Big Ben and the British Parliament (England)
Arc de Triomphe and Eiffel Tower (Paris)
Torre de Belem (Lisbon)
Tower of Pisa (Pisa – Italy)
Het Belfort (Bruges) With respect to Spain we have the Escorial Monastery, the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, the Port of Barcelona, la Maestranza in Seville and the mills of Castile.

Everyone knows that comparisons are odious, but sometimes it is impossible not to remember other places when we find an attraction of the same subject. On these occasions, my principles dictate that I must be respectful and try to appreciate the effort that everyone put into your business unless you have made us pay to see a real hodgepodge, and I feel robbed. Fortunately this does not happen very often and when it happens the only thing left is to «recommend» these places to friends.

We know that many other parks in the world of miniatures, Madurodam and MiniEurope are two more in the list. They may like the only negative points to consider when you come to visit this place is cold in The Hague and the rain, so you know, coat and umbrella (just in case).

Photography by jula julz

Good luck!