A German has collected 11,000 snow globes: This is what the largest collection in the world looks like.

According to ТСН: A visit to the house of Joseph Cardinal in Nuremberg, Germany, is like a trip into a winter fairy tale. His residence is filled with thousands of snow globes and is considered one of the largest collections in the world.

Cardinal received his first record in 2002 when his collection consisted of 6,100 pieces. Over two decades, the number of globes has nearly doubled and now stands at about 11,000.

Tour and New Additions

Joseph invited Guinness World Record adjudicator Emma Salt to his home, where he gave her a detailed tour. He showed how he cares for the globes to keep them looking flawless, and unveiled the novelty of his collection – a snow globe shaped like the “Hogwarts Express” from the Harry Potter series.

The Collector's Passion

Joseph's interest in snow globes began in 1984 when he received his first one as a gift. Since then, friends have regularly gifted him new pieces, and soon he started to expand his collection himself, searching for unique globes during travels with his wife. He admits he could not return home without the perfect souvenir.

His collection includes both miniature globes and massive specimens, some the size of a lamp post. The most interesting among them are a snow globe shaped like a Coca-Cola Phone, a model of the “Titanic” sinking, and a helicopter piloted by Santa Claus.

Themes and Rarity

Part of the collection is dedicated to famous movies and pop culture – scenes from “Star Wars,” “The Lord of the Rings,” and even a snowman with the inscription “Corona 2020” can be found here. Many of these pieces were released in limited editions and are considered rare.

The oldest snow globe in the collection dates back to 1889 and contains a miniature Eiffel Tower from Paris. Joseph also has a globe featuring his own house and a specially created piece to honor the 10,000th exhibit.

Seasonality and Museum

Despite his love for snow, Joseph admits that he prefers sunny weather. He notes that snow rarely falls in Nuremberg, so he gets most of his wintery feelings from his snow globes.

His house is now almost entirely filled with exhibits, and the basement has turned into a museum. According to Cardinal, he could accommodate about 12,000 snow globes. Visitors are always amazed to see the scale of the collection with their own eyes, even if they know about it.

According to Cardinal, people start to notice snow globes everywhere after visiting his house. He is convinced that these objects embody an ideal yet unrealistic world, and that the snow in the globe is one of the most important symbols of Christmas.

This story about Joseph Cardinal and his incredible collection of snow globes not only highlights his passion but also the importance of small joys in life. His home has become a true magical space where each globe tells its own story and provides visitors with a piece of winter magic.