Lego goes epic with its ‘biggest set ever’, the 9036-piece Colosseum

Feel sorry for yourself when surrounded by a sea of grey bricks, putting together a giant Lego Star Wars set? That’s nothing compared to the task you’ll face when building Lego Colosseum (£449.99). This faithful reimagining of the iconic Roman landmark (in as much as that’s possible with plastic bricks) takes Lego-based architecture to new levels. Lots of levels, actually, because a whopping 9036 bricks — easily beating the 7541 in previous record holder, 2017’s Millennium Falcon) help you craft the three distinct stories, adorned with Doric, Ionic and Corinthian columns. These aim for realism and are fashioned using innovative building techniques, one involving a recoloured roller skate part. There are 80 ‘ribs’ in the spectator stands, just like on the original, and multiple brick shades mimic the real-world landmark’s aged appearance. At 27cm high, 52cm wide and 59cm deep, it’ll make for an impressive display piece. Just as well, given how long you’ll spend building the thing.