Loving brother builds glassy home from 12,000 champagne bottles

A Russian builder has guaranteed himself a champagne lifestyle after constructing a house out of 12,000 empty bottles of bubbly.

But it was a family tragedy that saw Eldar Ilchibayev create the remarkable local landmark in the snowy western Ural Mountains.

The bottle house realises the ambition of his younger brother, who had come up with the idea before dying in an accident.

Ilchibayev and his father spent around two years collecting the champagne bottles, travelling to recycling sites across the region to offer beer and vodka bottles as swaps.

Neighbours also offered their empties towards a project that has become a popular spot for visitors to take photos.

 

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