page_title: Mini Israel
section_title: History
hierarchical_section_title: Mini Israel / History
caption_attribution_description: Mini Israel - Heichal Hasefer Français&#160;: Parc Mini-Israël - maquette du Sanctuaire du Livre other versions&#160;: Mini Heichal.JPG PikiWiki Israel 566 Museon Israel מוזיאון ישראל.JPG
context_page_description: Mini Israel is a miniature park located near Latrun, Israel in the Ayalon Valley. Opened in November 2002, the site contains miniature replicas of hundreds of buildings and landmarks in Israel and on the West Bank. The tourist attraction consists of about 350 large models of notable buildings. The scale of 1:25 produces skyscrapers that tower over an adult and historic churches taller than a child.
context_section_description: The slogan since its inception has been "See it all - small". The designers, architects and model builder team consisted of over 100 people from all parts of Israeli society and religions, including many new immigrants from the former USSR. The park was the brainchild of Israeli entrepreneur Eiran Gazit who conceived the idea after visiting the famous miniature town of Madurodam in the Netherlands in 1986. Delayed by the First Intifada, Gazit began plans to build the park in 1994. The park was created by Gazit and his partners, with Yoni Shapira serving as creative and marketing director, Mike Madeson in charge of international projects, and Koby Plashkes as technical director. It was funded mainly by two large investing groups: Granite HaCarmel and Secom of the Shikun Ubinui Group. It cost $20 million USD, with 15% of the funding coming from the Israel Tourism Office. The park was built on land owned by Kibbutz Nachshon. It had 350,000 visitors in its first nine months of opening. A Google Street View of Mini Israel was completed in November 2011, becoming active on April 19, 2012.
caption: Shrine of the Book
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