What is the largest LEGO set you have ever bought?

LEGO Group was founded in 1932, initially producing wooden toys. It wasn’t until 1949 that LEGO introduced its iconic plastic brick product. Since then, LEGO has become a globally renowned manufacturer of children’s toys, famous for its high-quality plastic brick sets.

Over the course of its 85-year history, LEGO has released many sets in different themes and sizes, including some massive “bulk sets” as well as very small “mini” sets. Do you know which is the largest and smallest bulk set (boxed, not including buildable bags) LEGO has released to date?

LEGO Icons Eiffel Tower 10307

When it comes to the largest bulk LEGO set ever, I think most of you would be familiar with it. In 2022, LEGO released a new product in the ICONS theme, the 10307 Eiffel Tower. This massive set contains 10,001 pieces, making it the second-largest set in terms of piece count, just behind the 31203 World Map (which I’m excluding here since it’s a mosaic-style set). Additionally, it stands at 149 cm tall, making it the tallest LEGO set ever!

LEGO Atlantis 8073 Manta Warrior​

As for the smallest LEGO set in history, based on my research online, I found several different claims. One of them is the 8073 Manta Warrior set from LEGO’s Atlantis series, released in 2009. This boxed set contains only 13 pieces, including a minifigure!

What is the largest LEGO you made?

So, what is the largest LEGO creation you’ve made in terms of size, or how many pieces did you use? Have you ever kept track?

For me, at least personally, my MOC (My Own Creation) projects are generally not very large, whether in the past or now when I’m busy. First, we’re often limited by the availability of pieces. Additionally, creating a large or even gigantic project requires a significant amount of time and money. Typically, most casual builders focus on smaller-scale creations, ranging from tiny figures to street scenes, or medium-to-large diorama-style projects. Most large dioramas, however, are usually collaborative efforts involving multiple builders. For example, the creations in every season of LEGO Masters would be considered large-scale projects in everyday terms.

LEGO MOC Set “The Battle for Luding Bridge”

In this Section, I will introduce this creation, “The Battle for Luding Bridge.” I’m sure many of you are familiar with this piece of history. The Luding Bridge is located in the western part of Luding County, Sichuan Province, spanning the turbulent Dadu River. The bridge holds significant importance in Chinese history, especially for its pivotal role during the Red Army’s Long March, which garnered worldwide attention.

The history of Luding Bridge dates back to ancient times. According to historical records, the bridge was originally built during the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty, under the supervision of Zhang Guanghou, the governor of Sichuan and Shaanxi. However, Luding Bridge truly entered the stage of Chinese history during the Long March in 1935.

In May 1935, during the Long March, the First Front Army of the Chinese Workers’ and Peasants’ Red Army reached Luding Bridge. At that time, the Dadu River was at its spring flood level, with a wide river surface, while the enemy had built a strong defensive system on the opposite bank, intending to block the Red Army’s advance. Faced with such a perilous situation, the Red Army decided to launch a bold assault to seize control of Luding Bridge.

On the early morning of May 29, under the command of Regiment Commander Wang Kaixiang and Political Commissar Yang Chengwu, the Fourth Regiment of the Red Army began a heroic and perilous crossing of the Dadu River, braving the enemy’s gunfire and artillery. After several hours of fierce and bloody combat, the Fourth Regiment finally broke through the enemy’s blockade, captured Luding City, and successfully took control of Luding Bridge.

This great feat was not only a key event in the Long March but also a microcosm of the Chinese Communist Party leading the People’s army in revolutionary struggles. It fully demonstrated the bravery, fearlessness, and unwavering faith of the Red Army soldiers, leaving a profound mark on the development of the Chinese revolutionary cause.

Since then, the Luding Bridge has become a monumental symbol in the hearts of the Chinese people, representing the heroism and noble spirit of the Red Army soldiers. Every year, a large number of tourists and students visit to learn and experience this remarkable chapter of history. At the same time, Luding Bridge has become an important site for China’s revolutionary tradition education, inspiring generations to strive for the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

The main structure of the entire creation consists of the two bridgehead forts on either side and the iron chain bridge in the middle. Currently, only the bridgehead forts and the mountain base at the bottom have been built, and the buildings on both sides of the bridgehead have not yet been expanded. One reason is that the volume of the mountain and the bridgehead fort itself is already quite large, and adding buildings to both sides would require expanding the mountain base below. Additionally, considering that most of the buildings on either side of the existing Luding Bridge’s bridgehead were constructed in later periods, the focus has been kept on the bridge itself as the key component.

Today, Luding Bridge has been renovated, and wooden planks have been added to the iron chain bridge section to make it easier for tourists to walk across. The two bridgehead forts on either side are almost identical, with few differences. Therefore, the design team thought about how to avoid making the entire creation repetitive or monotonous and considered whether it could incorporate some storytelling or educational value. Ultimately, the design team decided to represent the two bridgehead forts on either side of the Dadu River as symbols of two different periods, with the iron chain bridge in the middle connecting the two eras, creating a transitional process.

The bridgehead fort on the eastern side, closer to the city, currently serves as the ticketing and entrance area for the scenic spot of the Luding Bridge. Therefore, the design team decided to preserve this as the modern, renovated appearance of the bridge for restoration in the model. On the eastern side, there will not only be a passage for tourists to queue but also miniland-sized “tourist” minifigures to complement the lively, bustling scene. The mountain base beneath the bridgehead fort is also recreated based on the current riverbank shape. The renovated bridgehead fort still features a wooden structure, with upturned eaves and intricate carvings, reflecting a touch of Tibetan charm distinct from traditional ancient architecture.

Starting from the bridgehead fort on the eastern side and heading west, the iron chain bridge slowly fades away along with the wooden planks underfoot, leaving only the 13 massive iron chains whispering ancient memories. The iron chains of the bridge have been darkened by smoke and gunfire, each one seemingly etched with the blood, sweat, and sacrifices of the soldiers. Further west, the scene reveals the iron-blooded soldiers of the Fourth Red Regiment and the shattered bridge surface, torn apart by explosions. The bridge planks are marked with pockmarks from bullets and shrapnel, while the soldiers crawl forward, using wooden planks, iron pots, and their own flesh to shield themselves from enemy fire. Behind sandbags in the ruined bridgehead fort, some wounded soldiers and support teams provide covering fire for the advance.

The sky is overcast with dark clouds, as if shells could fall at any moment. The bridgehead fort on the western side is not as ornate as the one on the east—it lacks the intricate carvings, the beautiful brickwork, and the vibrant colors. Instead, it carries more of the shattered, war-torn feel.

The mountain base beneath the bridgehead fort also differs slightly from the one on the eastern side. It resembles an old man weathered by time. Whether it’s the roaring of the Dadu River or the baptism of artillery fire, all that remains on its surface are shell holes scattered leaves, and broken branches. The entire Luding Bridge creation uses over 100,000 LEGO pieces, with the distance between the two sides reaching an impressive 4.8 meters, even after the design team shortened the length of the central iron chain bridge.

The design team plans to add an LED screen beneath the iron chain bridge to simulate the water surface of the Dadu River. In terms of visual content, the team also intends to incorporate a transition reflecting different eras, with one side showing the Dadu River, battered by artillery fire, gradually calming down. The river on both sides and in the middle will play corresponding background sounds, such as the sounds of warfare—gunfire, commands—and, in the peaceful era, the noise of tourists.

During the design process of these large-scale creations, the design team had to spend a significant amount of time collecting relevant images, videos, and historical background stories. While large-scale architectural projects allow for more detailed representations of various features using LEGO bricks, the sheer size of the creation also presents an unprecedented challenge in terms of structural strength and parts inventory!

The design team hopes to use this large LEGO creation to present scenes from different perspectives and eras. This way, all visitors and students who come to see it can experience the grand history of that time. At the same time, the play-and-learn park can become an important site for China’s revolutionary traditional education, inspiring generations to strive for the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.