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Cathedral of Junk
4422 Lareina Dr, Austin, TX 78745, United States
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Au
Review №1

What can I say, a masterpiece! If someone was looking for a picture or example of owning your own junk and making it into something creative and beautiful, this would be it! Vince has done an amazing job with his creative energy! There are little gems and awesome picture spots within this cathedral! I had so much fun, and there is a second story! I loved it! Will be back! It’s easy to call, book, and donations are appreciated! I came to Austin for my birthday and was very amused and curious as to what the Cathedral of Junk was all about...I WAS NOT DISAPPOINTED! Thanks Vince for sharing your art with the world!

Vi
Review №2

I was just laugh out loud happy here. Cool place, interesting, inventive, creative, fun, inspiring. Five bucks to get in, reasonable. And you have to call for reservation, which is all about covid. Go! its worth it. I will go back.

Ad
Review №3

Youll never see anything like this anywhere else in the world. Its truly a monument to humankind and is a must visit while you are in Austin. Also the owner is just as awesome as his creation and definitely worth meeting. Super great experience! Be sure to call ahead and ask if you can come.

My
Review №4

This was amazing! Its literally a cathedral of junk, with colored rooms, like the yellow room, and the pink room. Youll also walk through several tunnels, and over the top. Theres a slide in the back. Each room has unique, eclectic art, some with painstaking details. It has been approved as structurally safe, even though it doesnt look like it. Beside the cathedral is a little structure that shows pictures of the transformation over the years and the history of how it began. Make sure to sign the wall inside! This is a mans backyard, where he lives, in a suburban neighborhood! Hes doing his part to keep Austin weird, but you have to feel for the neighbors. The owner requests you park up the street for obvious reasons. But dont miss this!

St
Review №5

It was almost dark when arrived. I was able to watch from street.Nice artwork

Ch
Review №6

Well my family showed up ready to view the Cathedral of Junk and it was closed. It is in a residential neighborhood with limited parking in front of neighbors houses. I rung the cow bell hanging at the gate and the owner opened the side door shirtless with his 2 little cute dogs running out to meet us but we were also informed he was not open. As we walked back to the car three other vehicles pulled up in hopes of viewing the attraction. Hopefully next time we are in Austin.

Sc
Review №7

Very interesting and a lot of fun! Certainly something different and no crowds. Owner is very nice!

Su
Review №8

Very cool, eclectic walk-thru art. Vince, the artist, is super chill and happy to answer questions. PSA: This is in the artists backyard, call for an appointment, dont just show up.

KS
Review №9

BE SURE TO CALL AHEAD AND RESERVE! This is his home in a private neighborhood and you must call ahead. Adult entry is $5/person.A must-see in Austin! Vincent, the artist, is welcoming and friendly. Had a great time wandering through corridors and up and down staircases, peering closely at conglomerations of knickknacks. Great photos, nostalgia, whimsical creations, and impressive structural creativity.

Ri
Review №10

This is one of Austins most spectacular oddities I must say it really made my trip worth it. You must make an appointment with a number thats on the website he doesnt show the cathedral on Sundays and you must make an appointment in advance. This is essentially a masterpiece of junk located behind the creators home please be respectful of the art the man has put a lot into his work and it shows. This is a great work that I believe gives a lot of character, fun, and Life to a seemingly residential area. Great for friends, dates, and the general curious explorer. A must see! Dont forget to make at minimum a $10 donation and support your local art scene.

mi
Review №11

Pretty cool place, very neat to see all kinds of trash together in one place.. not handicap accessible for sure

Sa
Review №12

This is a gem hidden behind a small house. The owner and creator is brilliant and has made the place unique. The place has a theme and you’ll be surprised on how well it is built. He takes a small donation at the entrance. 5$ for a person.

Am
Review №13

Interesting little place to visit! You can go through several times and never see it all. This guy really did his thing to make a pile of junk a form of art and entertainment.

Ka
Review №14

Very unique art experience in Austin. So much to see! Easily could spend over an hour here if it’s not too hot

Le
Review №15

A serious amazing art sculpture that shows that anything is possible if you have the time and patience to do it. Important: CALL THE OWNER FIRST, its by appointment ONLY. its literally his backyard. But sick walkthrough. Theres 3 levels.

Br
Review №16

A must see. My favorite place of my vacation. We werent going to go, because I thought itd be small but its very big with multiple steps to get to an upper level of it all!Extremely unique, only asks for a $5 donation and that you call to make sure you can come which is more than fair. He lets you explore everything by yourself.Amazing to see all the work he has put into this one of a kind sight. You could play eye spy in here for hours!!!

Ma
Review №17

Really cool place that Vince has been working on for 30+ years.

Ka
Review №18

Interesting place, it’s literally in the middle of a neighborhood in a guys backyard. It’s crazy how many things he has collected and how much time he has spent putting it all together. It was fun to walk around it and learn about all of the events/movies that have taken place there. But I don’t think I would rank it as a must see in Austin.

M
Review №19

Had a great time. There was a method to the madness and a lot of cool sections to take pics! Vincent was a great as well.

Ha
Review №20

One of my top 10 recommended places to visit while in Austin.You could easily miss the cathedral on a drive through the neighborhood, but as soon as you entire Vinces backyard youll wonder how it stays hidden, because it is massive. Standing three stories tall and wired together with steel rebars, concrete, tires, and laced heavily with junk. It is truly and adult playground with multiple paths, fun little nooks, and many relics to look through.Vince Hannemann accomplished a dream that is nearly an impossible fantasy for most artists and that is to retire and perpetually make revenue from their art. He use to use this Cathedral of Junk to throw wild parties that only ended when the cops would come.Make sure to call ahead of time, and bring at least $5 cash per person to contribute to the art project. Also, try to remember this is Vinces backyard and not an official business - so be considerate. I believe he also takes Sundays off.-Enjoy!

Ed
Review №21

This place is truley unique this is a structure built by the owner of the property in his backyard . I met the owner he was very talktive interactive indvivdual hippy personality.The cathedral is a 2 story piece the owner provides a scavenger list to find different ornament simliar to a mistery finder game . The piece is very durable for overlly healhthy people . An also has a place to sit at the top of the cathedral piece.Owner recommeds to tip 5 USD for viewing the piece

Al
Review №22

This place is an incredible attraction worth visiting and donating to. Its a self guided tour that will take you 10 minutes to an hour if you allow yourself to see everything this mad genius has created.Vince is a very interesting person and was kind and insightful about his work. This IS his backyard and all he asks is that you call him ahead of time. He was very welcoming toward me and my S.O. when we allowed him 30 minutes before we got in, but it was frustrating to watch when people showed up without letting him know. He has specific parking requirements, as it is located in a neighborhood and Im sure people have parked disrespectfully toward others on the street. But overall, this place is definitely a staple to how quirky and unique Austin can be.

Ad
Review №23

This place is wayyyy cool. Super super cool dude who runs and builds the place! Call before to make a reservation. It’s worth it though!

Am
Review №24

This was definitely worth the stop! Such a fun, creative piece to experience.

Ke
Review №25

Cool cool cool! Fun to walk around. Its in a dudes backyard so call ahead - showing stops at 16:00, $5 Cash to see. Its such a creative use of... junk. You could spend hours looking at all the parts and still find something new next time. Will definitely be coming back for a repeat visit.

Mi
Review №26

My greatest memory (and my first that I can recall on) was coming here with my biological dad who I hadnt ever met and having a blast, left my toy at the top I hope its still thereAnd for all those complaining about it being in the back yard or having to make appointments, topping it off with 1 stars because of this; a-f*cka-you grow up

Al
Review №27

Found out upon arrival that you need to pay $5 per adult in donations to see the space, and have an appointment. But he wont let you in without the donation and shuts the gate in your face. We quickly turned around after deciding it was definitely not worth it.

Ro
Review №28

So much detail in his work. Its a fun and low cost way to experience something new with the family. Great picture opportunities!

Ka
Review №29

Cathedral of Junk is a must-see masterpiece. Be sure to call ahead and make a reservation ahead of time! Additionally, bring cash for a donation because this man deserves it! This piece (I believe the artist started it in 1989) is just so magnificent and ever growing.

Ra
Review №30

Amazing place, very friendly owner, can tell it is a perfect of love. Worth the stop, and if you have time stop and chat. Nostalgic whimsical and historic!

S.
Review №31

This place is great! Very interesting display of articles. Old school items made me feel nostalgic.

Em
Review №32

Definitely worth a visit! Be sure to make reservations, because it’s just run by one guy in his backyard, so you have to make sure he’ll be home to let you inside. He only asks for donations as payment. Amazing way to spend an hour. This guy is a dang architect, you can even climb on top of the structure and take in the views as you sit on the throne of junk.

Li
Review №33

An eclectic array of the past and present melded into one fun masterpiece.

Jo
Review №34

One of a kind experience. Must visit if you can. CALL AHEAD FOR RSVP!

Li
Review №35

Amazing! The owner is very personable! Words cannot describe his work... a must see (My photos do not do it justice).

El
Review №36

This is seriously one of the most magical places I’ve ever been to. Call ahead (I called at 9am on a monday) to confirm the time you’ll visit. We had the whole cathedral to ourselves for the first bit of our visit. The owner/artist is so nice and great to chat with!We went at 10ish on a Monday morning and had the whole place to ourselves. I agree that the photos do NOT do any justice for the cathedral. It is such an experience wandering the corners (and three stories of junk), you see something new at every turn and you’ll keep seeing new things the more you wander.This place mixes whimsical with bizarre with puns and beauty. I could have stayed all day looking around. It was a $5 donation per person, which was very reasonable. A must do if you’re in the area!

Em
Review №37

This place is unreal! So creative and beautiful, make sure to call ahead and ask if its ok for you to come. Its like a giant fort built out of other peoples junk.

Am
Review №38

Freaking awesome way to spend 20 minutes

Ho
Review №39

REMEMBER TO BOOK AN APPOINTMENT BEFORE COMING!!!!! this place is definitely worth seeing though. i do not regret coming here. very austin. very weird

Ca
Review №40

Great place to throw an outdoor gathering. When theres not a pandemic...

An
Review №41

Great experience. It’s in the back of his house so call before going.

J
Review №42

This place is so amazing. Be sure the call first and make and appointment. He ask for a small donation. He will explain where to park.This place is worth the effort to visit. It is 3 stories y’all and so fun to explore.It is more than junk. It is an incredible work of art and fun to explore. There is so much to see.The artist is very nice and friendly.

L
Review №43

A visit back in time, well worth the time. About 30 minutes to go through and that is fast. So much to see. Make sure you make a reservation and cost donations.

Ne
Review №44

Want to get in? Make an appointment.But seriously make an appointment and see this very unique and captivating part of Austins art culture.

Ka
Review №45

A must see in Austin. This man is am artistic genius. Be sure to be respectful of neighbors when you are visiting!

Ta
Review №46

We visited and the exhibit has been closed off. There are fences around the artwork making it impossible to see.

Ya
Review №47

What a magical place ! His piece of work is very talented and the creator was super nice !! Need to call to get appointment, (it’s because his house’s backyard) and bring $5 per person, but to see his art (for about 30 years), $5 is very acceptable price ! Got inspiration and definitely take our kids later !! Omg just amazing all junks into arts 10-20 min is enough time to take a lookI went there May 12/2018

Sc
Review №48

Absolutely amazing! Thank you for making Austin cooler.

Te
Review №49

12 years ago, in 2007, I had the privilege of marrying my wife in the Cathedral of Junk. Vince, you are an amazing guy, and your project is one of the bright places in the darkness! Thank you!

Em
Review №50

I visited a week ago with my kids, and they had a blast. We had fun exploring and cant wait to go back. Its a fun place to take out-of-town guests to give them the Austin experience.

Ke
Review №51

We landed an this was the first stop on our list. We didnt call but it was earlier and Vince didnt mind. We climbed around and talked to him for over an hour. Super cool place with so many small things that you might miss. Youll want to hear the story of how he developed it and how the community worked with him to keep it. Take you time, retrace your steps, and talk to Vince!!Keep in mind this is in his backyard. He asks for a small donation as upkeep and to continue his artistic endeavors.

St
Review №52

Not really my cup of tea but it’s keeping Some garbage out of the landfills. One good way to look at it right!

Mi
Review №53

A great place for photos!!! Make sure to call ahead to reserve a spot! Vincent is so kind leave him a good tip .

Ma
Review №54

Definitely an interesting art installation. It was an inviting place and lots of junk to see which was turned into artwork. I felt like some of the pieces had peaceful messages. I took my family to see the place and although they were a bit hesitant about seeing it, they ended up really enjoying it as well.

Ki
Review №55

Weird Austin at its finest! Be sure to make an appointment and bring you donation $, this is a private residence in a neighborhood, so be respectful of the rules.Vince has our together quite the display: part maze, part play house, part ... I don’t know what! It is built solid with most concrete base. I didn’t feel anything move climbing anywhere in the cathedral.Kids are sure to get a kick out of it and adults can enjoy pondering how much work actually went into making this monstrosity!

De
Review №56

A different way to spend an hour in Austin that isn’t eating tacos or drinking. Definitely a sight to behold, and a cool feat of human tinkering. Minus a star for the seeming reluctance of the artist/owner to acknowledge the level of notoriety this exhibit has reached, and not yet setting up a simple website, or even just adding a few pertinent details on the google maps listing. Unless you read through multiple reviews, you wouldn’t know until arrival that the structure is located in the artist’s backyard, in a residential neighborhood. There is a faded hand-scrawled note on an old drum in the front yard that says “By Appointment Only” - extremely easy to miss. Luckily the owner was out attending to other guests when we arrived, so we apologized for showing up unannounced (though we had tried calling multiple times during our short 3-day trip and there was never an answer nor a machine message saying not to show up without a confirmed appointment) and paid a $5 donation before entering his back yard, where the structure is. The artist is a unique person, and has a way of speaking that can come off as pretty rude or blunt. It’s understandable: he views it as allowing random strangers to show up at any time and tour his backyard for a small donation. And as an outsider/visitor/google map peruser who stumbled across this “outdoor art gallery” listing with no website or hours or other info, I viewed it as this dude being a bit brash in his tone when you think you’re simply arriving to look at some public art. All this to say, I see both sides, and just think it would serve him (and purveyors of local art & culture) well to set some viewing hours, and a simple website link with an appointment plugin. So that’s my suggestion, and reason for docking 1 star. Other than that, yes it was cool & you’ll probably enjoy it. (And hey if you’re not super sensitive like me, you won’t get hurt feelings from his tone and you’ll REALLY enjoy it!)

li
Review №57

Was so much fun. Friendly man. Side note call in advance appointments are to be made

Ki
Review №58

Such a cool experience! Vince is very talented and gracious to allow people into his own private property for this. Try to call ahead and park on the crossroads to reduce traffic at his house.

Ha
Review №59

Super cool dude. Best if you call and make an appointment before you go.

an
Review №60

Wonderful sculptures. A must see, but nake an appointment.

Ru
Review №61

Truly a work of art. A must see when in Austin TX. There are no actual open and close hours the owner just shows the property couple days a week so Be sure to CALL AHEAD in order to make sure he is showing that day...

ro
Review №62

Best $5 I’ve spent today.

P
Review №63

Quirky fun, Vince was cool to hang with a while

La
Review №64

I am very frustrated. I called Vince 7 days before I was hoping to make an appointment, and left a voicemail. I also called 4 days before, 2 days, and 1 day. No response back. I know he likes to do it strictly by appointment, which I totally respect and understand so he is not having people show up at his house at all times of the day. But how am I supposed to respect his wishes by making an appointment if he will not call me back? I had a friend coming into town who would have loved to see the Cathedral of Junk. I hope when she comes to visit in a year we will have better luck.

Cr
Review №65

The family loved our trip here. We were all amazed. Highly recommend.

Ty
Review №66

What an amazing place. The creator is a super nice guy and is a joy to talk to.

Am
Review №67

This place was awesome and a must see! Just dont forget to call ahead and make a donation.

Ev
Review №68

Great unique adventure...Vince was so nice

Jo
Review №69

Such a cool stop for art and odd lovers. If you like weird, this place is for you!

pr
Review №70

This is a piece of art. Need to book in advance though

Br
Review №71

Absolutely amazing. Cannot recommend this enough. Make sure you call ahead for an appointment.

Fa
Review №72

I was expecting a REAL museum with REAL art. It’s definitely junk in the back of someone’s house. And people actually pay them to see it.Waste of time. Don’t fuel this person’s hoarding fetish.

Be
Review №73

A psychedelic and pop-culture detailed real life “I-Spy” installation. If that sounds good to you, you’ll love it.

Ja
Review №74

Youll find this odd little treasure in a guys backyard and be amazed by the structure of junk he has found homes for. This was fun for a minimal donation of $5. per adult.

A
Review №75

This place is so awesome! Pictures just don’t do it justice! Make sure you call to make a reservation and bring $5 to donate :)

Tr
Review №76

This place was, without a doubt, the coolest, wierdest place ever. Its absolutely stunning what this man has done. We were here for some time, but I guarantee we didnt see even half of it. The name perfectly describes it.

mi
Review №77

Have to call first ... tower of junk in someone’s back yard

Ga
Review №78

This place was off the chain, literally. My kids were like why we going to see someone else junk, well after we got there they were fascinated. They asked the most questions to the owner, who was happy to answer them all. A different type of spot to visit.

Mi
Review №79

A really fun stop if you want to check out some of the weirder side of Austin!

Sp
Review №80

Very interesting place. Asks for a 5 dollar donation per adult. You can tell a lot of hard work went into it, and theres some cool things like 2 stories and the throne. If you happen to be near it, I would definitely check it out.

Al
Review №81

Vince has a truly one of a kind creation that he is happy to share with anyone. Worth stopping by!

Do
Review №82

A wonder to behold. Call and make a reservation. Do Not Just Show Up !!!

Ke
Review №83

Must see in Austin. This place spoke to me on a whole different level.

sc
Review №84

Spent $15 on an UBER out there just to find out it’s in someone’s backyard and you have to make an appointment. Couldn’t see it, spent $15 on an UBER back to town so $30 for nothing. So sad :(

Di
Review №85

It was very easy to call and make an appointment (you have to make an appointment as the Cathedral is literally in his backyard). The Cathedral of Junk is much larger than I expected, it has 3 stories! Vince gave us a brief rundown and has a small gallery showing the history of the place. My favorite part was being able to meet him since seldom do you get to see a piece of art and meet the artist at the same time. Also, pro-tip: when he offers you bug spray, use it!

Ei
Review №86

Its art! Well thought, well organized. You first see the clutter, then you notice the details.

Ma
Review №87

It was fun, interesting seeing all the stuff. Some I havent seen in over 20 years. Bit of a flashback in there

Ma
Review №88

NEED TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT!I didn’t read the info before going; you need to call ahead to make an appointment. Looked cool fromWhat I could see. Haha

Al
Review №89

We didnt have a lot of time to spend, but when we rolled up, we were surprised it was just at a persons home. And there were a lot of no trespassing signs, so we didnt get to go in close and see it. Im sure there are visiting hours when you can go in, but we didnt have time to investigate.

Mo
Review №90

Amazing place to visit and the owner is a wonderful guy, just make sure to call in advance, they also have super friendly dogs but its best seen in spring as everything is blooming and turned green!

Cy
Review №91

This is a fascinatingly curated and constructed pile of junk in someones private backyard. Reach out to him ahead of time. We didnt realize we needed to do it but he was kind enough to let us walk around since there was already another small group there. There is so much to look at and his story about its growth over the years is interesting. Small suggested donation- well worth it. Its also a 15ish minute drive out of downtown

Gr
Review №92

Owner was super nice. You could spend 5 hours here and not catch every detail. Best 5 bucks ever spent.

Sy
Review №93

UNBELIEVABLE, peace, love and understanding...

sh
Review №94

Art in its natural habitat

Sh
Review №95

Amazing!! There’s so much to look at at every turn I can’t believe this thing is real. You’ll leave this place with a different state of mind. Make sure u call ahead to make a reservation they don’t take walk ins

De
Review №96

Nice job, cool to look at. Especially if you like to take pictures of the weird and unusual

he
Review №97

Call ahead! He is very knowledgeable and ready to talk about his junk! So cool and very kid friendly.

Ka
Review №98

Hard to describe. One of the top Austin, funkiest places for sure!

Su
Review №99

Truly unique piece of art. The artist is extremely humble and takes time to talk to you. Its a humbling experience to know what one could do with just junk.

Se
Review №100

We had some friends visiting from out of town and thought it was a good idea go visiting this place. We were greeted with Do you have an appointment? and the second sentence was Its five dollars if you want to see it. I think that was really rude also considering the tone he used. I ended up turning around and walk away.

Information
100 Photos
100 Comments
4.4 Rating
  • Address:4422 Lareina Dr, Austin, TX 78745, United States
  • Site:https://www.roadsideamerica.com/story/7816
  • Phone:+1 512-299-7413
Categories
  • Art gallery
  • Tourist attraction
Accessibility
  • Wheelchair-accessible car park:No
  • Wheelchair-accessible toilet:No
Amenities
  • Good for kids:Yes
  • Restaurant:No
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