LEGO + Sicily = Palermo, Sicilia, Italy: I Love LEGO

On display from December 20, 2022 to June 4, 2023

Have you ever been to a building filled with LEGOs? Not a toy store, but a museum-like building filled with LEGOs? It may sound unreal, but in the land of Sicily, Italy, home to great tasting cannollis, anything is possible.

Palermo, Italia, is hosting a LEGO exhibition, referred to as I LOVE LEGO. I was in Palermo, Italy, enjoying that great wonderful place, like I always do, when a friend invited me to this exhibit. I had no idea it existed, but imagine the pure joy I felt when I realized I was being invited to a toy exhibit. This place, Palermo, Italy, has to be one of the most fun-filled places in all of Italy. Upon meeting friends in front of the I Love LEGO exhibit building, I had no idea what awaited me.

The I Love LEGO exhibition is a multi-floor exhibit. Between the floors, there are LEGO blocks to remind you that yes, you are at a LEGO exhibition, at the I LOVE LEGO exhibit to be exact. After walking up many steps, I reached the first floor of the I LOVE LEGO exhibit.

FIRST FLOOR – I LOVE LEGO

The first floor of the I LOVE LEGO exhibit had the following displays:

1.Fori Imperiali Foro Di Nerva

This display was constructed by Antonio Cerretti, between the years 2015 and 2016. This LEGO display of ancient central Roma contained approximately 80,000 Lego pieces.

This Lego display is remarkably detailed, similar to the ways in which buildings are detailed in Rome, including a detailed floor mosaic. The Forum of Nerva was one of the imperial forums of Rome. The sign, translated, states the following: “This diorama represents the reconstruction of the Forum of Nerva or Transitorio, one of the forums defined as imperial, a set of monumental squares that constituted the center of the city of Rome in the imperial era. Started by the emperor Domitian, it was completed and inaugurated by his successor Marco Cocceio Nerva in the year 97 AD. The plan of the Forum of Nerva was conditioned by the space available between the previous complexes; the square had a narrow and elongated plan ( 120 x 45m).At the center of the forum was the temple of Janus, built as a quadriphonic arch. At the end of the square was dominated , as usual, by a temple dedicated to Minerva, behind which was positioned the  Porticus Absidata, a monumental entrance to the forum area of the neighboring district. The short side opposite the temple, close to the Roman Forum, had a curvilinear plan. On this side there must have been an entrance from the Roman forum, perhaps identifiable with the Arcus Nervae mentioned in some medieval sources.”

2. Diorama Pirati

This display was constructed by Marcello Amalfitano, Andrea La Dolcetta, and Dario Saggese, date of construction between 2015 and 2017. This LEGO display contained approximately 12,000 Lego pieces.

This display represents the world of pirates, with pirates, pirate ships, the water, an island, a volcano, and more. There is even a shark attacking the ship! The people on the pirate ships are involved in a variety of activities.

The sign, translated, states the following: “The Pirate Diorama is inspired by the legendary adventures of distant Caribbean seas. The works contained in this work required several attempts and modifications, both stylistic and structural in nature. The atoll of volcanic origin (of M. Amalfitano and D. Saggese – 1,200 pieces) in considered the perfect place to hide the treasures of a thousand raids while the natives are ready to defend their territory. Knowing this, the gendarmeries are stationed to recover the loot and imprison the criminals. The KRAKEN(by A. La Dolcetta-5,350 pieces ) was designed entirely digitally with subsequent aesthetic/structural modifications. Inspired by the legendary monster that haunted the nightmares of sailors around the world. Abnormal dimensions. Generally represented as a gigantic octopus or squid-like cephalopod, with tentacles large and long enough to envelop an entire ship, its myth developed above all between the seventeenth and nineteenth centuries, in the wake of sightings of various types of sea monsters. The pirate ship SEA REAPER (by A. La Dolcetta, 7,000 pieces) is inspired by the famous ship HMS Victory, a first-class, three-deck, 104-gun Royal Navy vessel built in the 1760s. It features an opening side bulkhead in order to show decks and furnished cabins. The SNAKE WING pirate ship (by A. La Dolcetta- 6,350 pieces) is fee inspired and has a furnished deck and cabins. The sails and ropes are made with original pieces taken from the sets of Pirate series.

3.Grande Diorama City

This display was constructed by Marcello Amalfitano, Andrea Battaglia, and Marco Cancellieri. This display has been a work in progress since 2010 and it is approximately 400,000 pieces!!

This display represents many things one would see in a city, from skyscrapers to country stores. From the detailed harbor, to the waterfront stores, to the people sitting on beach chairs, to people tanning on yachts, the display is spectacular.  The Grande Diorama City also has an incredibly detailed street scape, detailing city life, and showcasing everyday street life.  On display are police vehicles, city buses, trash collection vehicles, delivery men, and a LEGO truck.  The streets are aligned with city benches, city lights and sidewalks, making it a safe place to walk and interact, for those enjoying the LEGO lifestyle.  The train station has people waiting for the next train, as well as a clock tower. The diorama even shows “people” enjoying a day at the park, while riding their bicycles. The City is a mix between New York, Chicago, and Tokyo. Also, King Kong can be seen atop one of the skyscrapers.

The sign, translated, states the following: “The Grande Diorama City is the maximum expression of the city theme represented by unique and unrepeatable buildings. Made entirely with original bricks and using both traditional construction techniques and unconventional techniques: 250,000 pieces.

The builders independently design and build their own works using different inspirations and styles, using sketches, drawings technicians, but also dedicated assisted design software to Lego bricks. The collection of these creations comes constantly enriched by new works composed by thousands of bricks and full of details. The urban layout is defined using more conventional CAD software: this is how the districts of the historic center are outlined. Modern skyscrapers, railway lines, green zones and recreational areas. Among the numerous works, the “Legoland Hospital” (M. Amalfitano- 22,000 pieces). “Empire Brick Building M. Clerks- 9,000 pieces)-inspired by the famous New York Skyscraper.// In this installation, a portion of the port in front of the city is then reproduced,  the large buildings stand on the long malo where the yachts of celebrities and the motorboats of citizens who allow themselves a day of leisure enjoying the sea land . Among the most beautiful ships the catamaran stands out “Queen Mary of 3,000 pieces, the “Nemesis” (the one with the green keel) of 3,100 pieces and the colossal “Prince Marie” (all black) of 2,900 pieces. To enrich the sea, as many as 75,000 round plates were used, laid by hand”

Between the massive displays were LEGO bricks, and the walls were filled with LEGO inspired art pieces.

The second floor of the I LOVE LEGO exhibit had the following displays:

1. Diorama Classic Space

This display was constructed by Massimiliano Valentini, date of construction between 2010 and 2018. This LEGO display contained approximately 12,000 LEGO pieces.

The sign, translated, states the following: “Conceived and designed by one of the world’s largest collectors of original sets and pieces from the 80s Lego Classic Space series, the large “Space” diorama reproduces a lunar mining settlement. In this futuristic scenario, man makes use of the help of spaceships, droids and machinery to search for new resources. Its creation is constantly evolving as from time to time it is enriched with new unique and unrepeatable elements created by the manufacturer who draws inspiration not only from the original series but also from the most important cinematic science fiction sagas.”

2. Grande Diorama Castello

This display was constructed by Marcello Amalfitano, Marco Cancellieri, and Jonathan Petrongari, date of construction between 2014 and 2018. This LEGO display contained approximately 250,000 LEGO pieces.

This display looks like a dense forest with castles scattered throughout. The forest has animals, cabins, different types of shrubbery, a lake, a fortress, a windmill house, elements from Game of Thrones, and more.

3. Nido dell’Aquila

This display was constructed by Manuel Montaldo, date of construction between 2014 and 2016. This LEGO display contained approximately 300,000 LEGO pieces..

The sign, translated, states the following: “Inspired by the saga “A song of Ice and Fire” by the American writer George R.R. Martin and the award-winning TV series Game of Thrones, the impregnable stronghold of the Eyrie (The Eyrie) is the residence of House Arryn, protector of the east. The spectacular project begins to take shape in mind of the designer in 2014 and after 2 years of intense work it is exhibited for the first time at Lucca Comics and Games 2016 to the amazement of the public. The scenery, to which new details continue to be added year after year, occupies an area of almost 3m², while the top of the castle reaches 1.80 m in height. Over 300,000 pieces found in over 3 years of research were used for its construction.”

4. Portraits on the Wall

See if you can figure out who these Lego portraits represent….do you see Frida? Do you see Caravaggio? Do you see Van Gogh?

Right before exiting the I LOVE LEGO exhibition, there was a play room filled with LEGOS!!