If you're near downtown Columbus, Ohio during the holidays, don't miss the model train display at the Columbus Metropolitan Library. It's free to view and absolutely fabulous.

All of the buildings are modeled after actual churches, homes and businesses in two small Bavarian towns. They're made with natural plant materials including bark, seeds, moss and pine cones. Most took weeks to build but the castle and waterfall took over three months and the cathedral took over ten months.

The castle alone stands eight feet tall while the waterfall pumps 600 gallons of water per hour. Model trains run on about 280 feet of track while there is 600 square feet of "snow" covered land.

There's even a red covered bridge.

It gets reimagined and reconfigured every year so it's worth visiting even if you've seen it before.

It is magnificent.

Be sure to walk upstairs and view it from above too.

It's up through January 8. The library has an attached parking garage where one hour parking is free. The Main Library is located at 96 South Grant Ave. If you visit, pop by the nearby Columbus Museum of Art to view the Van Gogh exhibition happening now or swing over to German for lunch and a stroll. If you're headed to Franklin Park Conservatory, it's literally just down the street.