Tag Archives: Taj Mahal

Massive LEGO Taj Mahal goes above and beyond the official sets

The Taj Mahal, the world-famous mausoleum built by Moghul Emperor Shah Jahan, has seen three official LEGO versions — one in 2008, re-released in 2017, with a new Taj Mahal set unveiled in 2021. Although the newest set is smaller, the original and its re-release are famous for being amongst the largest LEGO sets ever produced. So it should give some idea of the complexity and scale of Rocco Buttliere‘s latest architectural creation when you understand the piece count of around 17.5k parts is considerably higher than all 3 of the official sets combined. Rocco is no stranger to being featured on The Brothers Brick, being an undisputed master of microscale LEGO building. However, this model is something special, depicting not just the famous mausoleum building itself, but also the surrounding gardens and compound.

LEGO Taj Mahal diorama

Click to see more pictures of this stunning model

How to build your own pocket-sized Taj Mahal [Instructions]

LEGO currently has two display models of the iconic Taj Mahal available to buy. One that is massive and expensive, and new one that is smaller and more affordable. If you’re like me, poor and easily scared by any number over the £50 price tag, you start wishing for LEGO to produce more and more small microscale builds. Luckily, Luis Peña built a tiny Taj Mahal consisting of just 80 pieces, and small enough to fit in your pocket!

LEGO Micro Taj Mahal

Click to see the instructions

LEGO Architecture 21056 Taj Mahal: third time’s a charm [Review]

Here at TBB, we all were caught by surprise when the Taj Mahal showed up in the review box last week. This jewel of Muslim architecture had been previously depicted in LEGO form back in 2008 (10189) and in 2017 as a rerelease (10256 Taj Mahal, read our review). The newest rendition of the Taj Mahal is scaled down in size, so how does it compare to what was once the second-largest LEGO set of all time? 21056 Taj Mahal has 2,022 pieces and will retail for US $119.99 | CAN $169.99 | UK £89.99. It will be available June 1 in Europe and the rest of the world, and will be available from August 1 in the Americas. Read our hands-on review to learn more.

The LEGO Group sent The Brothers Brick an early copy of this set for review. Providing TBB with products for review guarantees neither coverage nor positive reviews.

Read our full, hands-on review

A divine monochrome Indian Mausoleum

Building in monochrome can often be a huge challenge, even if the source material is too. This lovely mausoleum by Jens Ohrndorf is a really great example of knocking that challenge out of the park. The Taj Mahal-esque creation puts some nice techniques to work, especially on the top. Also, the aged and yellowed bricks give it a feel reminiscent of being true-to-life.
Indian Mausoleum

This close-up photo really shows how neatly everything fits together. Overall, the perfect amount of detail is packed into a satisfyingly compact microscale build.

Indian Mausoleum

We have covered many of Jens’ awesome creations, and some of my personal favorites are his animals, including the mole, polar bear, rhino, and bison!

Micro Taj Mahal fits in the palm of your hand.

Building a microsocale landmark is a fine art of choosing the right miniature detail that makes your model instantly recognizable. Some landmarks are so iconic that it might seem like this would be too easy. Not so! Finding the perfect detail part can be challenging. In this model of the Taj Mahal by Jay B, several recently introduced parts provide great details, but might not be the first thing that a builder would think of.

Micro Taj Mahal, Photo 3

This model reminds me of one of the very first models that I posted on Flickr over 5 years ago, using a much more limited supply of parts.

Creator Expert 10256 Taj Mahal, LEGO’s 2nd biggest set ever [Review]

Last month we announced that LEGO is re-releasing the iconic 10189 Taj Mahal set as Creator Expert 10256 Taj Mahal.  There was a mixture of surprise, pleasure and dismay at this announcement, depending on your ownership of the original 10189 and whether the re-release could affect your “investment” or your ability to finally afford this iconic set. Taj Mahal is the second-largest LEGO set of all time with 5,923 pieces, and is available beginning today in LEGO stores and from the LEGO Shop Online for $369.99 USD / £299.99. It is rated as 16+, reflecting the size and nature of the set as a display piece rather than any technical challenges when building.

10256 Taj Mahal

10256 Taj Mahal

In contrast to some recent re-releases like UCS Millennium Falcon 75192 or UCS Death Star 75159, this is not a re-modeled set but a pure re-release of the same set under a different set number. Let’s take a quick look at the two sets for comparison, as there are a couple of differences worth highlighting.

Continue reading our review

LEGO 10256 Taj Mahal, 2nd largest set of all time, is now available [News]

Almost a decade after the first version hit shelves, the new 10256 Taj Mahal is now available to order from the LEGO Shop online or at your local LEGO store. The Taj Mahal was the largest LEGO set ever released until the new edition of the UCS Millennium Falcon unseated it last month. This re-release of this Indian icon includes 5,923 pieces (one more than its predecessor) and is priced at $369.99 USD.

10256_Box1_v39

The original Taj Mahal still commands a premium on the secondary market, though news of its re-release has cut prices more than half since it was announced (from $3,000 USD to $1,350 for a new, unopened set). LEGO’s alleged recent focus on reclaiming some of the secondary market is having a noticeable effect.

10256_Box5_v39

Additionally, if you order today (Cyber Monday), the LEGO Shop Online has a few remaining Black Friday sales and freebies, including several discounted sets, 40254 Nutcracker with purchases over $99 and a branded shopping bag with purchases over $199, while supplies last.

Although specific sales and promotions will vary by region, remember that our Canadian readers can support TBB by clicking through to buy the Taj Mahal (or anything else) from this button:

And a link for our dear UK readers as well, if you feel inclined to do some LEGO shopping:

LEGO to re-release 5,923-piece Taj Mahal on Cyber Monday 2017 [News]

Today LEGO is announcing that the iconic 10189 Taj Mahal will be re-released as Creator Expert 10256 Taj Mahal. Formerly the long-time record holder for Largest LEGO Set until being dethroned a few months ago by the new UCS Millennium Falcon, this set is still the second-largest LEGO set of all time with 5,923 pieces and will be available on November 27 (aka Cyber Monday) in LEGO stores and from the LEGO Shop Online for $369.99 USD.10256_Box1_v39

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