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/RECORD NO.115
記録 / REC115

December 13, 2025 — In the small western Honduran town of Trinidad, the 25th Giant Chimneys festival burned handmade sculptures modelled on van Gogh, Dali and The Lord of the Rings.

Built over months from wire and cardboard, the figures burned down to bare metal frames.
Logged 2026-07-03 10:12:00 (JST)
In the small western Honduran town of Trinidad, the 25th Giant Chimneys festival burned handmade sculptures modelled on van Gogh, Dali and The Lord of the Rings.

The town of Trinidad, in the Santa Barbara department of western Honduras, held the 25th edition of its Giant Chimneys Festival. It is one of the most prominent events in the department, drawing thousands of visitors, both Honduran and foreign, who arrive days in advance.

This year's theme was the "Year of the Arts." Sculptures made by hand included a piece called "The Lord of the Rings" honouring cinema, another called "Lord of the Books" honouring literature, a phoenix, a piece titled "The Persistence of Dali's Dreams" honouring surrealism, and one honouring Vincent van Gogh.

The sculptures are built by hand from materials such as wire, hoses, cardboard, paper and sponge, with preparation beginning months in advance. They went on public display starting December 11 along the town's main street, where visitors could view each piece up close and meet the artisans.

The festival's centrepiece, the burning, takes place late at night on the same street; this year it ran from the night of December 13 into the early hours of December 14. Once the flames consume the structure, only the metal frame remains standing, a symbol the tradition describes as rebirth, like a phoenix.

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