LEGO Architecture Great Wall of China review

We been talking about some of the recently released and upcoming big sets, but there are also a number of smaller models that are worth checking out. One of the new sets that I particularly like is the #21041 LEGO Architecture Great Wall of China. LEGO Architecture sets are known for their intricate details, interesting techniques, and dense building style, and the LEGO Great Wall of China excels in all of these areas. In addition, the set also includes some special features that we don’t see in other LEGO Architecture sets. So let’s take a closer look. 🙂

First of all, here is the official description to give you the basic features and stats of the set: Discover the architectural secrets of the World Heritage Great Wall with this #21041 LEGO Architecture Great Wall of China set. Explore the ingenious building techniques that allow the structure to drape across thousands of miles of countryside, curving up, down and around mountains and rugged undulating terrain to form a harmonious blend of nature and architecture. This accurately detailed LEGO interpretation depicts two turrets joined by a winding section of wall atop a dark-green mountainous landscape with lush valleys, trees and lakes, and is finished with decorative English and Chinese nameplates. The model has been designed to deliver a rewarding and relaxing building experience to all with an interest in architecture, travel, history and design, and makes a truly dynastic centerpiece for the home or office. Connect multiple models to extend your Great Wall display. Measures over 4” (12cm) high, 10” (27cm) wide and 3” (9cm) deep. 551 pieces. Price: $49.99 – BUY HERE

Like all LEGO Architecture sets, the #21041 LEGO Architecture Great Wall of China is packaged in a sleek black box with a lift-open style lid that doubles as a storage container for the pieces. The included booklet contains information about the design, architecture, and history of the building in English, French and Chinese. There are some really beautiful pictures on the first few pages of the real Great Wall of China, along with a timeline of major historical events related to building this massive fortification. Even on the building instruction pages you will find some additional interesting facts and figures. All of the tastefully presented information puts you in the mood of building a LEGO replica of a segment of the great historic structure, and not just any LEGO set.

One thing you will notice immediately when looking at pictures of the set is that the LEGO Great Wall of China includes more natural scenery than any previously released set. In fact, you will spend most of your time and the majority of pieces to build up the mountainous landscape with dark-green bricks, plates, slopes, tiles, and other elements around an internal skeleton that holds it all together. Building this section is not as monotonous as you might think as the landscape is quite varied, and all that dark-green is beautiful to look at.

Once you finish building the mountains, you start working on the Great Wall itself. As the wall is not straight, but snakes left and right and also curves up and down, some pretty clever techniques had to be used to make an accurate LEGO replica. Most of this is achieved with small plates, panels, hinges, modified bricks, slopes, and tiles, along with a cleverly implemented bal-joint connection. The wall is built in segments, that are then connected in various ways. It’s a great building experience overall.

The model is built on a cleverly designed 34×12-stud base with removable end sections. This allows you to easily remove the frame on the two ends, and connect multiple sets together for a longer layout. Encouraging you to combine several sets is another unique feature we haven’t seen before in the LEGO Architecture collection. I would say that the set looks perfect as it is, and there is really no need to extend it, but if you do want a longer wall, the modification is very easy. In the pictures below you can see single set, double set, and four sets variations.

The #21041 LEGO Architecture Great Wall of China is an impressive set, and I really don’t have anything negative to say about it. The colors are lovely, the building experience is interesting, and the finished model looks sophisticated. In the video-review below, JANGBRiCKS will show you the set more detail and will also share his own opinion about it.

Building LEGO Architecture sets is a very different experience compared to building regular LEGO sets. The structures are much more dense (using lots of small pieces in unique ways), which makes the models surprisingly heavy. They are more like modeling kits for adults rather than construction toys for children. I’m a big fan of the LEGO Architecture line, especially the medium-size sets like the #21041 LEGO Architecture Great Wall of China. They give you enough substance for a satisfying building experience, and they also look beautiful on display.

If you are not familiar with LEGO Architecture sets, but you do enjoy building more serious models, like LEGO Creator Expert vehicles, the LEGO Modular Buildings, LEGO Technic sets, Ultimate Collector Series sets, etc., I highly recommend getting at least one or two LEGO Architecture sets. They may not look as big, cool, and colorful as sets from other LEGO themes, but they do take the serious part of LEGO building to a whole other level. If you are an architect, interior designer, or other creative type, you will have an especially satisfying experience. You can find all the currently available sets at the LEGO Architecture section of the Online LEGO Shop.

What do you think? How do you like the LEGO Great Wall of China? Do you have it already? Have you connected multiple sets together? Or are you planning to? Feel free to share your thoughts and own review in the comment section below! 😉

And you might also like to check out the following related posts:

• LEGO Architecture Statue of Liberty Review
• LEGO Architecture Statue of Liberty Facelift
• LEGO Architecture Shanghai Skyline & More!
• LEGO Architecture Arch de Triomphe Review
• LEGO Architecture Guggenheim Museum Review