Visit your city - Cathedral of Junk, Austin, TX

Cathedral of Junk, Austin, TX

Austin's unofficial motto is "Keep Austin Weird," a slogan that becomes less authentic with each music venue, food truck court, and offbeat store that is forced to move or is torn down to make room for the construction of yet another block of high-end condos.

Entrance at the Cathedral of Junk, Austin, TX

Keeping that original "let your freak fly" aesthetic of Austin intact is the Cathedral of Junk. Vince Hannermann started the project in 1989 by nailing some hubcaps to his fence. The project soon grew beyond its original scope and others began donating their unwanted and unused to him.

Telephone display, Cathedral of Junk, Austin, TX

The junk is not piled haphazardly, instead it is divided into themes, like the telephones arranged on a table or the bicycle sculpture topped with a castle turret. Then there's the Barbie dolls which are seemingly everywhere.

Television and Electronics display,
Cathedral of Junk, Austin, TX

The highlight of the installation is the giant main structure, complete with a sign welcoming you the "Trash Vegas." The massive piece has been declared structurally sound by Austin Code Enforcement and it's great fun to climb to the top (wish I'd taken a picture from up there).

Cathedral of Junk, Austin, TX

If you go: Call ahead for an appointment. You can just show up, but you risk the site being closed. $5 suggested donation. Go asap, neighbors have been complaining about the Cathedral of Junk, and while the city has found it to be code compliant, who knows how long that will last.

Bicycle display, Cathedral of Junk, Austin, TX

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