These architects promise to build a life-size replica of a city from Lord of the Rings — if you fork over $2.8 billion


A group of British architects have decided to put Lord of the Rings fandom to the test by crowdfunding a life-size replica of J.R.R. Tolkien's fictional city of Minas Tirith in the south of England. They've set a 60-day limit to raise £1.85 billion (about $2.82 billion in U.S. dollars), of which they've designated £15 million to land, £188 million to labor, and £1.4 billion to materials. Leftover money will go to maintenance and public services until 2053.
"We are an ambitious team of architects and structural engineers who are passionate about creating a beautiful, inspirational, and fully-functioning replica of Peter Jackson's depiction of Minas Tirith, as seen in his Lord of the Rings films," the campaign's leader, Jonathan Wilson, wrote on the project's IndieGoGo page. "We all share a love of Tolkien's work and a desire to challenge the common perception of community and architecture. We believe that, in realizing Minas Tirith, we can create not only the most remarkable tourist attraction on the planet, but also a wonderfully unique place to live and work."
Rewards include a £900 night for two in Minas Tirith or a £1.72 million four-bedroom penthouse.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
At time of publication, the "Realize Minas Tirith" project has raised a mere £1,624 of their £1.8 billion budget. There are 49 days left to contribute to making this dream come true.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.
-
Florida erases rainbow crosswalk at Pulse nightclub
Speed Read The colorful crosswalk was outside the former LGBTQ nightclub where 49 people were killed in a 2016 shooting
-
Trump says Smithsonian too focused on slavery's ills
Speed Read The president would prefer the museum to highlight 'success,' 'brightness' and 'the future'
-
Trump to host Kennedy Honors for Kiss, Stallone
Speed Read Actor Sylvester Stallone and the glam-rock band Kiss were among those named as this year's inductees
-
White House seeks to bend Smithsonian to Trump's view
Speed Read The Smithsonian Institution's 21 museums are under review to ensure their content aligns with the president's interpretation of American history
-
Charlamagne Tha God irks Trump with Epstein talk
Speed Read The radio host said the Jeffrey Epstein scandal could help 'traditional conservatives' take back the Republican Party
-
CBS cancels Colbert's 'Late Show'
Speed Read 'The Late Show with Stephen Colbert' is ending next year
-
Shakespeare not an absent spouse, study proposes
speed read A letter fragment suggests that the Shakespeares lived together all along, says scholar Matthew Steggle
-
New Mexico to investigate death of Gene Hackman, wife
speed read The Oscar-winning actor and his wife Betsy Arakawa were found dead in their home with no signs of foul play