Minecraft milestone: Community recreates New York at a 1:1 scale – open for everyone to explore

Something truly massive is taking shape in Minecraft – quite literally. As part of the Build the Earth community project, which aims to recreate the entire planet at a 1:1 scale, an impressively accurate version of New York City has been brought to life. A video showcasing the project was recently uploaded to the YouTube channel MineFact. The channel’s creator, who appears to be directly involved in the build, shares extensive insights and behind-the-scenes details throughout the 13-minute feature.

Minecraft has seen its share of massive building projects, but the New York replica sets an entirely new standard. Developed over the course of five years, the project reportedly includes more than 50,000 buildings spread across a map covering roughly 270 square miles. Construction began in 2020 and has since been driven by an international community of hundreds of active builders. The initiative was sparked by the Covid-19 pandemic and inspired by YouTuber PippenFTS, who demonstrated that real-world geodata could be translated into Minecraft at a true 1:1 scale.

The bird’s-eye view footage is especially striking. At first glance, it is easy to mistake the scenes for real aerial shots of New York City. But even when you zoom in, the buildings do not dissolve into rough approximations. Quite the opposite – they feature windows, textured facades, balconies, and even decorative details such as flower arrangements. Given the sheer scale of the project, this level of detail is nothing short of remarkable.

The replica does not yet cover all of New York City, but many iconic areas are already complete, including the World Trade Center, Tribeca, Chinatown, SoHo, and Liberty Island. Other parts of the city are still under construction. The project has been met with widespread praise on Reddit, along with numerous questions about how to access the server. Players can explore the build by connecting to nyc.buildtheearth.net or, alternatively, download the map to experience it offline.

By the way: If you are looking for a break from Minecraft, you might want to check out the newly launched sandbox MMO Hytale.