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500,000-piece Death Star lands at Legoland (pictures)

A Lego Death Star model being installed at Legoland in California is so heavy, it required a forklift to move it into place.

Amanda Kooser

Freelance writer Amanda C. Kooser covers gadgets and tech news with a twist for CNET. When not wallowing in weird gear and iPad apps for cats, she can be found tinkering with her 1956 DeSoto.

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Amanda Kooser

Feb. 12, 2015 4:59 a.m. PT

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Moving the Death Star

Legoland California, located near San Diego, is unveiling a massive new Death Star model built from over half a million plastic bricks. The showpiece is the largest creation on display in the "Star Wars" Miniland, a collection of seven scenes from the "Star Wars" universe.

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Half a Lego Death Star

This 1,900-pound (862-kilogram) Lego Death Star model includes Luke Skywalker's famous trench run in his trusty X-Wing fighter. The model gets an official public unveiling on March 5, 2015 at Legoland California. It took a crew of workers to move the massive Death Star into place.

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Forklift hefts Death Star into place

It took a forklift to place this huge Death Star Lego model into its new home at Legoland California. It's part of a "Star Wars"-themed display. The Death Star was moved in two main sections. The whole model weighs 1,900 pounds (862 kilograms) and required over 500,000 Lego bricks to make.

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Putting the Lego Death star together

Heavy machinery was required to position this 1,900-pound (862-kilogram) Lego Death Star at Legoland California. The massive model towers over the "Star Wars" Miniland and joins an existing display of seven different scenes from various "Star Wars" movies along with "The Clone Wars" show.

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Completing the Lego Death Star

The two halves of a 1,900-pound (862-kilogram) model of the Death Star, Darth Vader's space home, are put together at Legoland California. A forklift and a team of workers helped to put the ship into place as a new centerpiece at the "Star Wars" Miniland.

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Worker atop the Death Star

A worker kneels carefully over the top of a 13-foot (3.9-meter) Death Star model as it is installed at Legoland California. The heavy creation required over half a million brick pieces and is the largest model in the "Star Wars" Miniland display. The Death Star also includes Luke Skywalker's trench run.

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Legoland "Star Wars" Miniland

Legoland California's "Star Wars" Miniland includes the Geonosis arena and a battle between a droid army and the Grand Army of the Republic. A massive Lego Death Star will be joining the sci-fi exhibit.

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"Clone Wars" battle at Legoland

This Lego scene at Legoland California is taken from the animated series "The Clone Wars." Battle droids and clone troopers prepare to engage. Legoland's "Star Wars" Miniland includes seven scenes from the "Star Wars" universe and now welcomes a new Death Star model that stands 13 feet (3.9 meters) high.

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Tatooine in Lego form

This Lego model of Tatoonine from the "Star Wars" universe lives at Legoland California. It includes Uncle Owen's Moisture Farm and a re-creation of the cantina scene, complete with the alien band. A 1,900-pound (862-kilogram) Death Star model is joining the other "Star Wars" displays.

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Clone Turbo Tank at Legoland

This large Clone Turbo Tank Lego model can be found in the "Star Wars" Miniland exhibit at Legoland California. This part of the display covers the planets of Kashyyyk and Mustafar. The Lego models are welcoming a new addition in the form of a Death Star made from over half a million Lego bricks.