Last Updated: 2/4/22 | February 4th, 2022
Paris has Notre Dame. London has Westminster Abbey. Moscow has St. Basil’s.
And Austin? We have the Cathedral of Junk!
Started in 1988 by Vince Hannemann, the Cathedral of Junk is an ever-evolving passion project involving over 60 tons of junk. Old bikes, appliances, hubcaps, TVs — you name it. They’re all cobbled together to form a massive “cathedral” that spans Vince’s entire back yard.
While he originally had to scavenge for junk to start his project, it wasn’t long before people were donating their old possessions to help him broaden his “cathedral” — making it bigger as well as adding more rooms in the process.
A number of years back the city of Austin, Texas, tried to shut it down, saying it was too much junk as well as a safety concern. (In truth, the neighbors thought it was an eyesore as well as complained to the city) So Vince as well as an army of volunteers pared down the structure as well as brought it up to code so the site might stay open.
Eventually, Vince decided sufficient was sufficient as well as started to take parts of the cathedral down. however not long after he changed his mind as well as the cathedral is now bigger than ever.
In a weird city like Austin, a massive cathedral made of junk located in someone’s suburban backyard seems oddly fitting. I spent most of my visit talking to Vince as well as asking questions (it doesn’t take long to check out the Cathedral). however I likewise explored as well as took in this quirky architectural feat.
During my visit I found out that a lot of people come here with their kids; many were running all over the place as well as having a merry time playing make-believe. I discovered out that this place is really popular with locals since your kids will stay occupied for an hour or two. If you’re in Austin with your family, come here. Your kids will love it.
And if you are traveling without kids, come here anyway. You’ll still love it. I did.
Visiting the Cathedral of Junk
You can visit the Cathedral of Junk at 4422 Lareina Drive in Austin, Texas. It’s a 15-minute drive from downtown by car. If you want to take the bus, the journey is 30 minutes as well as you can take the #10.
Admission is free though a $5 donation for adults is encouraged. There are no set hours as well as he isn’t open every day so it’s best to call ahead before you go. (With a set schedule, the City of Austin would think about him an “official business” as well as then he would have to follow all sorts of rules)
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Is the Cathedral of Junk the greatest attraction in Austin? probably not, however it’s so weird, so quirky, that you really should make an effort to see it during your visit. It makes for a unique afternoon as well as is a perfect example of why the slogan for Austin is “Keep Austin Weird.”
Whether you’re traveling solo or with a family, make sure you add this to your itinerary. I promise it will be worth it!
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Book Your trip to the United States: Logistical tips as well as Tricks
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Use Skyscanner or Momondo to find a inexpensive flight. They are my two favorite search engines since they search websites as well as airlines around the globe so you always know no stone is left unturned. start with Skyscanner first though since they have the biggest reach!
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You can book your hostel with Hostelworld as they have the biggest inventory as well as best deals. If you want to stay somewhere other than a hostel, use Booking.com as they consistently return the cheapest rates for guesthouses as well as inexpensive hotels.
Don’t forget travel Insurance
Travel insurance will protect you against illness, injury, theft, as well as cancellations. It’s detailed protection in situation anything goes wrong. I never go on a trip without it as I’ve had to use it many times in the past. My favorite companies that offer the best service as well as value are:
Safety Wing (for everybody below 70)
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Want more information on the United States?
Be sure to visit our robust destination guide on the united states for even more planning tips!