Meet Alec Garrard who is 80 years old and has spent the last 30 years working on a 1:100 scale model of Herod’s Biblical Temple. Alec is a retired farmer from Norfolk, England.
He enjoyed making models all his life, however, he decided to make a single project that would see him through to the end of the life and that’s when he opted for Herod’s Temple. He also has interest in architecture and religion and thus this project combines all of his passions. He had seen a model or two of the structure in Biblical exhibitions, however, didn’t find them accurate enough and decided to make it himself.
He began working on the model when was in his 40’s and spend the first three years in only researching the temple and following his research, bean the construction of the model by hand. He cut plywood frames of the temple walls and baked all of the clay bricks in over before sticking them together. He has even sculpted and painted 4,000 half inch figurines and put costumes on them. It looks amazing but Alec says, “I have been working on it for decades, but it will never be finished as I’m always finding something new to add”.
As per historical experts, the model that has been created by Garrard is the most accurate representation of how Herod’s Temple would have looked like before falling a victim to Romans 2,000 years ago. The scale model measures in at 20×12 feet and is currently stored in a huge building located in his backyard. Visitors are offered binoculars to allow them to check out the intricately detailed creation of Alec.