Tucked away on a residential street in southeast Austin , you may find action figure , broken bathroom , bicycle parts , and assorted knick - knacks all interweave together to form a tower , foreign castle - like structure . Known as the Cathedral of Junk , the monumental castle stands a littleover 30 feet tall . Its God Almighty , ego - proclaimed “ Junk King ” Vince Hannemann , has been work on it since 1988 , much to the chagrin of his neighbors .
The King stand at the gate of his house with his trustworthy companion — an Australian cattle detent distinguish Smoky — and lets in visitors . He involve that guests make a reservation and that they park on a side road to keep neighbor agitation at a minimum . A red box sits nearby involve for $ 10 donation . Once inside , visitors can explore the 60 - ton structure , which has an elaborated system of steps , Harry Bridges , and even a microscope slide .
The Cathedral of Junk is a testament to the slogan “ keep Austin weird , ” which , asViceputs it , is a sentiment that has lately been reserved for sorority girl bumper pricker . In 2010 , the city asked Hannemann to break up the duomo , as it was upset the people who populate in the locality ( if you climb to the top of the structure , you’re able to peek into the neighboring backyards ) . Austinites take their eldritch art gravely , and after a flake of a kerfuffle , Hannemann received a edifice permit and the Cathedral of Junk made a triumphant return . A few hundred volunteers come to aid the rebuilding . “ It was very actuate to have the public support , ” Hannemannsaid .
Taking a saunter around the structure , you may find mint of oddities , from strings of AOL Cd to motorcycle helmet on stake . It has everything — kitchen cesspool include . In the interior of the construction ( the entrance hall , if you will ) , the monumental clumps of junk are semblance - rag , with point sometimes being paint to match the paper . The greenish discussion section feature a number of different - sized Gumbys , while the pink section predictably blow a broad selection of Barbie dolls and accessories .
The exterior is just as interesting as the interior , and offers guests a act of stairway to higher level . Thanks to a spot of concrete , the structure is surprisingly sturdy — the metropolis has really station railroad engineer to shake the edifice and look for fallible spot . At the top of structure , there is a minuscule terrace from which to take in the prospect .
Despite being made of decaying plaything and broken in technology , the Cathedral of Junk is actually pretty romanticist . Bachelor parties , interlocking pictures , andeven genuine weddingshave used the remaining attraction as a locale . Nature intermingles with the junk , in what Hannemann come to to as a “ critter condo . ” you’re able to ascertain children and wildlife alike happily enjoying the architecture .
Despite creating a dust kingdom , Hannemann is pretty modest about it . " I just did it because it was kinda cool,“he recount Roadside America . " It ’s my clubhouse . It ’s fun . Kids , when they come through , they sleep together what it is . " Hannemann fields questions from his seat in the Junk potty Room . Made from a aggregation of chains , toy , and even a Jesus figurine , the chairman count a lot like theIron Throneif Aegon the Conqueror was really into service department sales event . As Roadside America describes it , the effect is telling .
Hannemann told me that he plans to keep building and adding onto his strange structure . As mass continue to donate their junk to him , he has more material to expound . He even has the nozzle of an aeroplane , though he refused to let on where it come in from .
“ The Cathedral really is a cathedral , ” the Junk King toldfilmmaker Evan Burns . “ It has a congregation . It has a life . It serve a public purpose . It really is owned by all these other people too — not just by me . It will go on without me , I ’m sure . ”
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