Few companies have changed quite as much as LEGO. Well, maybe Nintendo, but that company's fascinating history is a story for another article. LEGO got its start producing simple wooden interlocking blocks. No instructions, just a bag of pieces meant to fuel imagination. As time went on, LEGO switched to plastic materials and branched out to target multiple audiences.
At its core, LEGO produces three kinds of sets: boxes for children, adults, and families — four if you count sets designed for girls.
Sets meant for children are simpler and less expensive, whereas products for adults are more expensive and, more importantly, more complicated. Builds are more intricate, and construction takes longer, all because these sets feature higher part counts. Many popular sets for adults contain hundreds to thousands of pieces, but the biggest — and most expensive LEGO sets — can increase that part count by a factor of 10. If you thought the X-Men: The X-Mansion and Great Deku Tree 2-in-1 kits were complex, they're nothing compared to the biggest in LEGO's library.
Continue reading if you want to learn about the largest and most challenging LEGO sets ever produced.
Read more: The Most Expensive Game Consoles Of All Time, Ranked By Launch Price
LEGO Icons Real Madrid - Santiago Bernabéu Stadium
LEGO manufactures quite a few popular lines of products. Odds are you've heard of some of them, such as LEGO Star Wars or LEGO City. LEGO Icons is a lesser-known but still popular line that turns famous landmarks and buildings into purchasable kits. Although, in some cases, the LEGO brand is more well-known than the landmark.
The city of Madrid, Spain, has plenty of attractions to visit. These include the Royal Palace of Madrid, the Museo Nacional del Prado, and the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium. The stadium is one of the most famous soccer venues (football for everyone outside the U.S.) on the planet and is a must-see for any fan of the sport. Though it might not hold much value for others, LEGO still recognizes its importance.
The LEGO Icons Real Madrid - Santiago Bernabéu Stadium (Item #10299) recreates the stadium with its roof retracted — the real roof can roll to let in the sun and block out rain. The set has 5,876 pieces and builds a structure 6 inches high, 18 inches wide, and 15 inches deep. LEGO has discontinued the product, but it's still available from third-party sellers at varying prices.
LEGO Creator Expert Taj Mahal
All good things must come to an end, and that includes LEGO sets. Even though LEGO kits are mostly constructed from the same bricks in varying combinations and colors, the company doesn't (or can't) keep selling the same sets forever. Eventually, LEGO must retire even its biggest products.
Odds are you've heard of the Taj Mahal. While the building looks like a palace, it's actually a mausoleum that honors Mumtaz Mahal, wife of the fifth Mughal emperor, Shah Jahan. The Taj Mahal is considered one of the Seven Wonders of the World, and while preservation is of utmost importance to the people who work there, the site has incorporated modern conveniences such as Wi-Fi. Given this popularity, it's little wonder LEGO once sold a set based on the building.
LEGO Creator Expert Taj Mahal (Item #10256) recreates the mausoleum's iconic elements, including its minarets and facades. The final build has 5,923 pieces and measures 20.5 inches wide and 16.9 inches high. Not only is this LEGO set big, but it's also easy to disassemble into chunks and reassemble, in case you need to store or ship the item.
LEGO Harry Potter Hogwarts Castle
While the "Harry Potter" brand has come under fire recently thanks to its creator's stance on transgender people and rights, the "Harry Potter" name is still very popular. "Hogwarts Legacy" was one of 2023's most successful video games, and one of LEGO's larger sets recreates one of the most iconic locations from the franchise.
Hogwarts Castle is arguably the central heart of "Harry Potter." Most of the series takes place in its halls. And even though many fans fell in love with the characters, most would rather learn magic at the school than hobnob with Dumbledore. While the novels described the castle, the films brought it to life with a mix of CGI-powered architecture and the real Alnwick Castle. Unless you attend a theme park, LEGO's take on the Hogwarts school is the closest most fans will ever get to visiting the castle.
The LEGO Harry Potter Hogwarts Castle set (Item #71043) brings Hogwarts Castle to life both inside and out. At 6,020 pieces, the set faithfully recreates Hogwarts' exterior and adds as many of the interior rooms from the films as possible. Plus, this kit includes four minifigures, although in a surprising twist, none of them depict the main characters of the franchise. Instead, they're the four founders of Hogwarts, while the famous characters are relegated to the smaller microfigure size. The set currently retails for $469.99.
LEGO Ninjago City Markets
Even though kits based on licensed franchises are LEGO's biggest moneymakers, the company still experiments with first-party brands, often with unique gimmicks. While not every idea is a winner (we're looking at you, Legends of Chima), some prove popular enough to warrant giant sets.
LEGO Ninjago is one of LEGO's most persistent proprietary properties. The line started as a series of elemental ninjas and villains placed on spinning tops. The purpose was for children to mix and match pieces and pit their creations against one another, essentially a cross between Beyblades and Rock'em Sock'em Robots. And the brand spun out from there (pun definitely intended). LEGO released a cartoon, a movie, and eventually spinner-less sets based on the cartoon and movie.
Some of LEGO Ninjago's bigger sets include the Destiny's Bounty, the City Workshops, and the focus of this paragraph, the LEGO Ninjago City Markets (Item #71799). This set uses 6,163 pieces to create the show and movie's futuristic, pseudo-Japanese inspired buildings and interactive elements. The finished product measures 19 inches high, 21 inches wide, and 10 inches deep. Oh, and it also crams in 21 minifigures and looks great next to other LEGO Ninjago sets. You can buy this item for $369.99.
LEGO Icons The Lord Of The Rings: Rivendell
Whenever LEGO wants to transform famous real-world buildings into model kits, it sells them under the Icons line. However, sometimes there's a bit of overlap between brands, and LEGO Icons also tackles fictional buildings.
"The Lord of the Rings" is a story that needs no introduction. The book series is one of the most influential in history, and the live-action films forever changed the course of adaptations and movies in general. LEGO released a video game adaptation of the movies in 2012, along with physical sets, but the latter never reached the heights of sets based on other licensed properties. Unless you judge them by size, that is.
At first glance, one might assume LEGO Icons The Lord of the Rings: Barad-dûr (Item #10333) is the biggest set from the franchise, with its towering black spire topped with the all-seeing eye of Sauron. It's certainly the tallest, but the size crown actually goes to LEGO Icons The Lord of the Rings: Rivendell (Item #10316). This set boasts an impressive 6,167 pieces with 15 minifigures. At 16 inches high, 29 inches wide, and 20 inches deep, Rivendell fits in countless details. The set currently retails for $499.99.
LEGO Star Wars The Razor Crest
If any LEGO brand is the company's golden goose, it's LEGO Star Wars. LEGO has produced sets based on the "Star Wars" universe since 1998 with no end in sight. Most kits are based on scenes and vehicles from the movies, but LEGO Star Wars is no stranger to the franchise's expanded universe.
While Disney+ is increasing prices and cracking down on password sharing, you might want to keep your subscription active for the sake of one show: "The Mandalorian." The series follows the misadventures of the titular Mandalorian, Din Djarin — Mando to his friends — and his Force-sensitive ward Grogu. During the first season, Mando and Grogu travel the galaxy in a ship known as the Razor Crest. It's constantly on the verge of falling apart, but it has a ton of personality. We wish we could pilot a ship like the Razor Crest, but since that will never happen, we can make do with a LEGO set.
LEGO Star Wars The Razor Crest (Item #75331) is one of the more screen-accurate model kits on offer. The set uses 6,187 pieces to recreate the ship inside and out. The instructions even let people build the engine block's interior so owners can get a good look at what makes the ship tick — or recreate scenes where the engines sputter and die. This kit is still available for $599.99.
LEGO Star Wars AT-AT
The "Star Wars" universe is full of iconic vehicles, many of which have been transformed into LEGO sets. In some cases, LEGO has released multiple sets of varying price points and sizes. Sadly, one of the most famous vehicles (which was turned into one of LEGO's biggest sets) is no longer available.
The classic "Star Wars" films are full of iconic vehicles, but none are quite as imposing as the Imperial All Terrain Armored Transport (AT-AT for short). Unlike other "Star Wars" vehicles that use hover technology, AT-ATs lumber across battlefields atop four massive legs. They might resemble armored, mechanical camels, but they still left an impact on audiences, so much so that toy manufacturers continue to produce toys and playsets of the vehicle — LEGO included.
LEGO has released several sets based on the AT-AT, with the LEGO Star Wars AT-AT (Item #75313) as the latest and biggest. Coming in at 6,785 pieces, the finished product is a behemoth with room for over 40 minifigures, even though it only comes with nine. And yes, one of those tiny brickmen is Luke Skywalker. While the product is no longer available, when it was in stores, this ultimate AT-AT set retailed for $799.99.
UCS LEGO Star Wars Millennium Falcon
As previously stated, LEGO has released and re-released sets based on legendary "Star Wars" ships and hovercraft. The more famous the vehicle, the more LEGO milked it. A few were given the "Ultimate Collector Series" (UCS) treatment and transformed into some of the biggest — and priciest — LEGO kits.
If any vehicle captures the spirit of "Star Wars," it's the Millennium Falcon. Han Solo's signature ship is every smuggler's dream, filled with weapons, hidey holes, and plenty of space for illicit cargo. Toy companies have sold Millennium Falcon products more than any other "Star Wars" ship, and LEGO is no exception.
LEGO has sold countless sets based on the Millennium Falcon. Some were tiny budget kits, while others were titans of price and parts, the largest being the UCS LEGO Star Wars Millennium Falcon (Item #75192). This kit has 7,541 pieces, recreating all the outer greebles and filling out more interior details than any prior Millennium Falcon set. Although not every brick goes into the build; owners can choose between constructing the classic Millennium Falcon from the original trilogy or the slightly updated one from the sequels. Likewise, the minifigures are split down the middle to represent both versions. If you want this kit, it will set you back $849.99.
UCS LEGO Star Wars Death Star
For all the details LEGO Star Wars kits cram into each box, they generally have a problem with scale. Few kits truly capture just how large some "Star Wars" vehicles and locations are, but some of the bigger models get close-ish.
In the "Star Wars" universe, no weapon is as destructive as the Death Star — except for maybe the power of the Force. This artificial planetoid was the culmination of Emperor Palpatine's plan for complete galactic domination. Any planet that didn't bow down to his will would be annihilated. The Death Star was the centerpiece of countless "Star Wars" movies, games, and books. To say it was important would be the understatement of the century.
Before we continue, one small confession: This entry might be technically cheating. LEGO has sold several sets based on the Death Star, and while they were big for their time, they're actually small by today's standards. However, according to leaks, LEGO will soon release the UCS LEGO Star Wars Death Star (Item #75419). Unlike other LEGO Star Wars sets, this item will be a cutaway of the menacing space station, focusing on different rooms that recreate memorable scenes from the movies. If the rumors are true, the set will include a whopping 9,023 pieces and retail for $1,000. Only time will tell.
LEGO Icons Colosseum
Many national landmarks that bring in tons of tourists are somewhat recent. However, plenty of visit-worthy locations are a little more ancient. Still, if it's an iconic site, it's worthy of being part of the LEGO Icons family.
Rome is full of tourist attractions; you can barely go 5 feet without stumbling across a landmark. You've got St. Peter's Basilica, the Sistine Chapel, the Trevi Fountain, and perhaps most important of all, the Flavian Amphitheatre, more commonly known as the Colosseum. During the height of the Roman Empire, audiences witnessed animal hunts and gladiatorial bloodbaths on an almost daily basis. Now the building is nothing but well-maintained ruins. The only thing that hasn't changed is that you still need tickets to visit.
Once upon a time, LEGO sold the LEGO Icons Colosseum (Item #10276) set for everyone who wanted to take the Colosseum home with them — or couldn't visit Rome. This product used 9,036 pieces to recreate the semi-dilapidated spectacle. While the meat of the build goes into its impressive size (11 inches high, 21 inches wide, and 24 inches deep), LEGO didn't skip the hypogeum, the elaborate network of tunnels underneath the Colosseum. While the set is no longer available from official retailers, you can purchase the kit from third-party sellers, but be warned: Aftermarket prices for a sealed copy hover around $1,700.
LEGO Icons Titanic
Most LEGO Icons sets construct miniaturized plastic buildings. However, the line occasionally dabbles in vehicles. Some are based on real-world cars and shuttles, while others miniaturize famous movie automobiles. Then there are the LEGO Icons kits based on seafaring vessels, one of which is famous for sinking to a watery grave.
The Titanic is arguably the most well-known shipwreck. The vessel was 883 feet long, the largest passenger ship of its time, and while many subsequent seafaring vessels dwarf the Titanic, they can never hold a candle to its legacy, thanks to the devastating circumstances that led to its sinking and the number of people the ship took with it. Today, the Titanic is a modern myth, a veritable undersea monument to humanity's hubris. And LEGO Icons loves to miniaturize monuments and split them into tens of thousands of studded bricks.
LEGO Icons Titanic (Item #10294) is a set designed for expert builders and nauticophiles alike. It uses 9,090 pieces to construct a 1:200 scale recreation of the ship. That's 54 inches, almost 4.5 feet, worth of studded bricks. You can even crack the ship open (in a good way) to get a closer look at the interiors, from the staircase to the boiler room and even the piston engines. For $679.99, you can own one of the biggest sets in LEGO history.
LEGO Icons Eiffel Tower
Throughout this article, we've discussed LEGO sets that are "big" because they pack tons of pieces into their boxes. However, since LEGO bricks come in many shapes and sizes, some builds with fewer pieces can be physically bigger than kits with more pieces. But one "big" kit holds the size record for official LEGO sets.
Many people might claim the Eiffel Tower is one of the tallest buildings in the world. They'd be wrong to do so, since it was only considered the tallest structure when it was built, and at least 100 buildings dwarf it today. However, this line of thinking demonstrates the Eiffel Tower's staying power and iconic nature. And LEGO is nothing if not a sucker for miniaturizing anything iconic.
LEGO Icons Eiffel Tower (Item #10307) isn't the most expensive set in the LEGO catalog, but it's the biggest. Or tallest, at least. The product is made up of 10,001 pieces, and while the finished structure isn't as easily deconstructed as other Icons kits, it stands 59 inches tall — a little under 5 feet. This prodigious size makes the LEGO Icons Eiffel Tower the tallest set ever produced. You can still purchase this kit for $629.99.
LEGO Art World Map
Most LEGO sets produce small plastic statuettes when finished, but the company also caters to people who prefer two-dimensional art. LEGO Art sets use mosaics of multiple LEGO bits to recreate famous paintings. Most are conservative when it comes to part counts, but one set tips the scales.
Two of the biggest entries in the LEGO Art catalog don't recreate famous paintings but instead use bricks to turn representations of our universe into pieces of art. One is LEGO The Milky Way Galaxy (Item #31212); the other, and larger of the two, is the LEGO Art World Map (Item #31203), which uses an unheard-of 11,695 pieces. In the spirit of fairness, however, LEGO cheated a bit and inflated the part count thanks to a veritable flood of single-color studs. Every element of the map, from continents to ocean, is built out of these parts to produce plastic pointillism.
Part of the LEGO Art World Map's magic lies in its customizable nature. The instructions tell buyers where to place each stud on one of 40 16x16 tiles, but users choose how to orient the tiles since maps differ country to country. Regardless of the final tile order, a finished LEGO Art World Map stretches 26 inches high and 41 inches wide, large enough to hang on a wall and brighten a room. LEGO has discontinued the product, so finding one may be tricky.
Want the latest in tech and auto trends? Subscribe to our free newsletter for the latest headlines, expert guides, and how-to tips, one email at a time.
Read the original article on SlashGear.
