The Cathedral of Junk stoically stands within the backyard of a quaint suburban house on the southern side of Austin. Unlike some roadside attractions, the Cathedral blends in seamlessly with its own neighborhood. That’s part of its charm, you see. It’s invisible from the street.

Similarly, Vince Hannemann, the man who built the Cathedral, is an unassuming man. The Cathedral wasn’t built to garner local or media attention, nor was he trying to win any awards or get any money. And although Vince has been referred to as a “yardist” (a yard artist) by the local Austin art community, he’s actually a very sensible guy who harbors no such illusions about the artistic significance of his “junky” creation. It’s his clubhouse. He did it because it was fun. Everyone else made it popular.

From the outside, the Cathedral seems rather small, but that is only because of the small size Vince’s back yard. Once entered, however, the true size of the Cathedral’s interior becomes apparent. Maybe it’s the various stairways and the Cathedral’s multiple levels? Or perhaps it’s the magnificent vaulted ceilings? Maybe it’s the sturdy and carefully built observation platforms? Or perhaps it’s the “Throne Room” with a chair made anyone’s-guess sitting at the heart of the Cathedral? It doesn’t matter. It’s a building made of junk. If that’s not impressive, then nothing is!

Unlike true medieval cathedrals, with construction that often spanned many generations, the Cathedral of Junk will definitely be finished within Vince’s lifetime.

How’s that for “one man’s junk is another man’s treasure?”