Around the world...in white chocolate - Italy

Around the world... in white chocolate. These tourist sites have never looked so tasty

By ANNA EDWARDS
Last updated at 10:38 AM on 21st January 2011

As one of Italy's most famous famous chocolatiers, Mirco Della Vecchia knew he had to come up with a pretty sweet idea for his next project. 

And he's had audiences licking their lips with anticipation with his latest set of white chocolate sculptures. 

The artist went around the world with white chocolate, whipping up the tasty treats to form Paris' Arc de Triomphe, Greece's Parthenon, Italy's leaning Tower of Pisa and Colosseum, the Egyptian temples Abu Simbel and England's famous Stonehenge. 

A tasty Triomphe: Mirco Della Vecchia poses with his chocolate sculpture of Paris' famous Arc de Triomphe

Try not to nibble a piece of the Pisa: Mirco Della works on his precariously balancing chocolate Tower of Pisa

The iconic landmarks were crafted as part of his 'Chocolate World Heritage' currently being exhibited in Hong Kong. 

 

Painstaking patience - not to mention admirable self-restraint - were used to create the milky white wonders, which might tempt chocolaholics to skip visiting the real thing in favour of a close-up of Vecchia's work. 

He carved Rome's ancient amphitheatre from a huge chunk of chocolate, even capturing the crumbling facade of the monument. 

Even their feet look good enough to eat: An incredible amount of attention went into this sculpture of Egypt's Abu Simbel, with even the Pharaohs' toes and beards being carved out of chocolate

A colossal Colosseum: The chocolatier even captured the crumbling state of the Roman building... or did he just end up nibbling on his work?

The replica of Nubia's Abu Smibel, which was originally built during the reign of Pharaoh Ramesses II in the 13th century BC, as a monument to himself and his queen Nefertari, have been created with incredible detail, even carving out the lines in the pharoah's beards. 

His sturdy Parthenon and its columns have been intricately carved, with a poster showing the intense look of concentration on the artist's face as he shaves off chocolate curls from his work.

He has captured Stonehenge's worn look with no stone left untouched and his Arc de Triomphe is so big he can peek through its delectable arch. 

His towering Pisa is perhaps the most impressive, as the model defies gravity by precariously leaning, just like its real life inspiration.

Stone me: Stonehenge inspired the sweet-toothed chocolatier to replicate it with white chocolate

The milk chocolate kid: Italian chocolatier Mirco Della Vecchia with his chocolate sculpture of the Parthenon for the exhibition

Vecchia showed that he had a sweet tooth from the age of 13, when he says he started working as a confectioner and says he 'knew his future would lay in the cafe' business. 

In 1996 he started entering a series of regional competitions dedicated to the gentle art, quickly gaining numerous awards for his chocolate pistachio, praline, pastry and icecream.  

He currently holds the Guinness World Record title for making the largest chocolate sculpture in the world. 

Together with a team of artists, Vecchia created a white chocolate replica of the Dome of Milan which is 1.5 meters tall, 2.5 meters long and weighed and impressive 5.37 tons - setting the new world record for the largest chocolate sculpture.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1349024/Around-world--white-chocolate-These-tourist-sites-looked-tasty.html#ixzz1Bg8DeVYh