Let's get this out of the way first: if you plan on building this flagship-level, massive LEGO set all by yourself, your patience will need to be just as epic! Today, we here at the Toy People editorial team are tackling the tallest LEGO set ever and the one with the second-highest piece count: the 10307 Eiffel Tower. How does this third LEGO incarnation of Paris's tallest structure measure up? Let's find out together!
Standing at a height of 324 meters, the Eiffel Tower is a classic landmark of Paris, France, and a cultural symbol of the nation! The designer of this LEGO model, Rok Zgalin Kobe, not only had to fully capture the actual appearance of the Eiffel Tower within the limits of LEGO bricks but also had to balance a moderate building difficulty with overall stability. It's no exaggeration to say that this 10307 Eiffel Tower is a LEGO set of artistic caliber. Compared to its predecessors, 10181 Eiffel Tower (3428 pieces) and 21019 Eiffel Tower (321 pieces), the accuracy of its external structure is simply impeccable.
Now, let's get to the main event! The front of the box clearly and simply displays the finished model. It's worth noting that the dimensions of the completed set, which usually appear on the back of the box, are displayed right on the front this time! Truly befitting a 149 cm tall behemoth, the intention to make its size known at a single glance is crystal clear!
▼ The back features lifestyle shots of the product and scenic photos of the real Eiffel Tower.
▼ The side and top feature a continuous printed graphic of the LEGO Eiffel Tower.
▼ The other side shows a close-up of the tower's base and the first platform.
▼ Upon opening, you'll find a quote from French engineer Gustave Eiffel, for whom the tower is one of his most famous architectural works. It would have been even better with a Traditional Chinese translation, though!
▼ Next, you'll see three boxes stacked together, forming a blueprint-style image on a black background. Each box corresponds to a specific section of the build.
▼ It's clear which section of the tower the parts in each box are for. I love this thoughtful little detail.
▼ And now, the moment to witness all the parts of the 10307 Eiffel Tower! The numbered bags go up to 74, with one bag per number, plus 9 unnumbered bags and 4 loose black 16×16 baseplates. There are so many! They barely fit on the table.
▼ There are also three instruction manuals, allowing a few friends to build together simultaneously (which is highly recommended). The beginning of the first manual features photos of the Eiffel Tower, an introduction to architect Gustave Eiffel, design sketches of the tower, and the design concept from LEGO designer Rok Zgalin Kobe, among other things.
▼ A view looking up from the base. It seems this model pays close attention to recreating this perspective, which we'll examine shortly.
▼ Let's start building!
Next up is a look at the interesting parts of the assembly process! After all, beyond the spectacular view upon completion, there are many noteworthy details along the way. First is the base, which supports the entire tower and is designed in the style of the Champ de Mars. It's filled with an abundance of lampposts, benches, and trees.
▼ The symmetrical internal structure before being covered with smooth tiles is incredibly satisfying to look at!
▼ Next are the tower's legs. Personally, I feel this is the part of the build that requires the most attention. In addition to the numerous repetitive building steps, getting the angles right and aligning the cross-braces can be a bit nerve-wracking. Fortunately, the red and yellow elevators serve as helpful reference points.
▼ This build uses a large quantity of these 1×3 clip pieces. Considering stability and the building experience, this single-molded part is far superior to using three separate 1×1 pieces!
▼ You'll see a lot of this type of building structure throughout the set, and it's quite fascinating!
▼ The tower's body is generally constructed by building two symmetrical supports at a time, starting from the baseplate and completing the tower's framework section by section.
▼ Then it's time to build the first platform. Placing 144 small gray round tiles one by one is truly an arduous task (haha)! But seeing the beautiful silhouette of the finished product makes it all worthwhile.
▼ In addition to standard brick connections, Technic clips are used to enhance stability. This type of inverted pin connection offers the dual advantages of being secure yet easy to separate.
▼ It's finished!! When building it on a table, you literally have to stand on your tiptoes to attach the final dome with the French flag.
▼ It can be separated into four sections.
▼ The stacked aesthetic achieved through many repetitive steps is absolutely superb!
▼ At the base, in addition to the four legs, many bar elements are used to outline the overall shape. Once they are all attached, it confirms that the angles are perfect! That's when you can breathe a sigh of relief. The archways, constructed using roller coaster and train track pieces, are brilliant! The designer is a genius.
▼ Although the "cross-bracing" structure of the tower doesn't actually serve a load-bearing function, it's a truly impressive building technique with incredible accuracy! The LEGO studs perfectly mimic the rivets.
▼ You can place your own micro-scale figures in the plaza area, which looks super cute! (No figures are included in the set.)
▼ A beautiful lamppost can be built with just three simple parts. LEGO is truly amazing.
▼ The dense trees are very cute!
▼ The red and yellow elevators at the base of the legs match the colors of the elevators on the real Eiffel Tower.
▼ The wrought iron architectural structure as seen from below! How marvelous!
▼ Imagine you're in a low-flying helicopter, looking down at the Eiffel Tower—this is probably what it would feel like.
▼ Taking a shot with a wide-angle lens produces a very dynamic photo! My Eiffel Tower is the tower that will pierce the heavens! (Wrong anime reference!)
▼ A look at the details of the platform and the second level, including the platform's railings and the supports that change angle dramatically.
▼ Details of the "upper level" of the Eiffel Tower as it continues upward. The overall structure becomes much more slender, and the cross-bracing pattern changes.
▼ The building process for the dome is quite fun. It includes Gustave Eiffel's private office and the broadcast antenna, and the design is beautiful.
▼ The windows can open!
【10307 Eiffel Tower】Review Summary:
With its ten thousand pieces, building the LEGO Eiffel Tower can truly be described as a long journey. You deeply experience the feeling of a skyscraper rising from the ground up. Initially, you'll notice that the piece count per bag is relatively low, giving you a tangible sense of progress. However, after completing the base plaza and moving on to the tower's legs and support structure, a completely different building experience begins. The vast number of repetitive steps and the similar, small parts make it very easy to make mistakes. If possible, it's best to build slowly or enlist the help of friends or a partner to fully appreciate the designer's thoughtful and brilliant structural work.
However, once you reach the upper level, your hands seem to naturally speed up. It's not just the joy of nearing completion; the spectacular LEGO model itself is exhilarating! The height after assembly is truly astounding, and from every angle, its structure is remarkably similar to the real Eiffel Tower. For toy lovers who adore France and the Eiffel Tower, this editor has one piece of advice: before you buy it, first figure out the best place to display it!
LEGO 10307 Eiffel Tower
Suggested Retail Price: NT$19,999, Total Pieces: 10,001, Estimated Release Date: November 25, 2022
Those who purchase this set during the initial release will also receive the "40579 Eiffel's Apartment" gift with purchase.
