How accurate is LEGO Ideas 21359 Italian Riviera?
LEGO Ideas 21359 Italian Riviera maintains a high level of accuracy through its architecture, inspiration and cultural references.
The official LEGO Ideas blog has confirmed that the next fan-inspired set is based on Cinque Terre, a coastal area within Liguria, in the northwest of Italy. With this confirmation, we can look at the real region to see just how accurate the upcoming model is, from the local culture to geographical features and the architecture.
Of the five towns in Cinque Terre, the location and architecture of 21359 Italian Riviera best connect to Vernazza, Manarola and Riomaggiore for being on the coast, featuring buildings perched on cliffs, and there being no beach area.
The original fan design of 21359 Italian Riviera featured a small beach, similar to that of Monterosso, the largest of the five towns in Cinque Terre and the home to the only sandy beach in the area. The final model changed this to a small harbour with a boat instead, which aligns better with most of Cinque Terre.
Corniglia is similarly not applicable, being located on a cliff 100 metres above sea level and only accessible by stairs. The fact that 21359 Italian Riviera has a scooter and a seafront means this town is probably not the inspiration behind the new LEGO Ideas set.
That still leaves us with Manarole, Vernazza and Riomaggiore, all of which have something in common with the LEGO Ideas set. They all feature houses that embrace the cliffside, similar to the rightmost home in 21359 Italian Riviera, for instance.
The set does accurately depict the roof of each house being at approximately the same level, which is common in official images provided on the Cinque Terre website. That’s not the only way in which 21359 Italian Riviera is accurately depicting the region, though.
Corniglia, despite not being a clear geographical inspiration of 21359 Italian Riviera, is home to a popular flavour of gelato made from local honey, named miele di Corniglia. The presence of a gelato shop in the LEGO Ideas set fits perfectly with this regional flavour, especially if one of the flavours being served in the shop resembles miele di Corniglia. We can’t quite see the full flavour selection in official images, but reviews should shine some light on this.
Another feature of 21359 Italian Riviera is a printed focaccia piece, a food which is believed today to have originated in Liguria, where Cinque Terre is located. There’s also the diving equipment shop, which goes perfectly with the fact that Riomaggiore is the home of the only diving centre located within the Marine Protected Area. This area was established in 1999 as a way to protect the underwater environment on the coastline between entire coastline between Levanto and Cinque Terre.
Most importantly, the presence of a diving shop seems to pinpoint the precise inspiration of 21359 Italian Riviera as Riomaggiore. That’s only speculation on our part, but comparing the official image of Riomaggiore to the set does highlight some interesting similarities in layout and architecture, including the singular ramp leading into the water
Whatever the case, it’s clear that 21359 Italian Riviera is inspired by Cinque Terre from the build to the thoughtful inclusions, and LEGO Insiders can explore the set starting on August 7, before a wider release on August 10. It will be priced at £249.99 / $299.99 / €279.99. LEGO Insiders who purchase the LEGO Ideas set between August 7 and 13 (or while stocks last) will also get an exclusive GWP, 5009325 Mediterranean Scene.
Featured image: Cinqueterre.eu.com
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