Built and reviewed by Martin Seidler as build # 44
Overview
There are book nooks that recreate beautiful architecture, and then there are book nooks that tell a story.
Abandoned Gothic Church by FifiJoy belongs firmly in the second category.
Rather than depicting a perfectly maintained place of worship, FifiJoy has chosen a far more atmospheric concept—a once magnificent Gothic church that has stood abandoned for decades while Mother Nature slowly reclaims the building. Broken masonry, weathered walls, ruined flooring, stained glass, climbing vines, and subtle signs of decay create an environment that feels believable and full of character.
The result is one of the most immersive and atmospheric book nooks I have built so far.
What’s in the Box
As expected from FifiJoy, the kit is exceptionally complete.
The package contains:
- 16 precisely laser-cut MDF sheets
- Five LEDs
- Two LED strings
- Battery box
- Acrylic window panels
- Decorative chains and metal rings
- Transparent green material for the stained-glass windows
- Cobweb material
- Double-sided adhesive tape
- Assembly tools including tweezers, scissors and a small hammer
In short, everything required to complete the model is included. Unless you intentionally decide to customize the kit, there is virtually nothing else you need to purchase.
Design
The overall concept immediately caught my attention.
The exterior captures the characteristic appearance of a Gothic church with its pointed arches, towers, buttresses and stained-glass windows. While some architectural details are intentionally simplified, the proportions and overall appearance are unmistakably Gothic.
The real surprise, however, is the interior.
It is significantly richer than I initially expected and creates the impression of a complete church rather than simply an attractive exterior shell. The sanctuary, altar, statue, stained-glass windows and vaulted ceiling work together to create a remarkably convincing atmosphere.
The printed textures already show years of weathering and decay, but the design intentionally leaves room for builders who enjoy additional weathering, moss, rubble and vegetation.
It is an excellent balance between a finished model and creative freedom.
Building Experience
One of the strongest aspects of this kit is its engineering.
Construction begins with the foundation, which immediately demonstrates how carefully the entire model has been designed.
The base consists of two structural layers. The lower ground plate supports the actual church floor with internal reinforcing ribs and entrance steps, producing an exceptionally rigid foundation.
That philosophy continues throughout the entire build.
Every wall establishes accurate perpendicular reference points for the next assembly. Nothing feels fragile, nothing flexes, and nothing requires forcing into position. Individual sections simply click together exactly as intended.
This is, without question, one of the most structurally solid book nooks I have built.
FifiJoy has also made tremendous progress in manufacturing precision.
Previous FifiJoy kits already featured excellent engineering, but occasionally suffered from tabs or slots that required small adjustments. Those issues have essentially disappeared here.
The laser-cut precision is outstanding.
Every component fits beautifully, making this one of the most accurately manufactured book nooks currently available.
Sanctuary and Interior
Construction begins with the rear sanctuary of the church.
This section includes the altar, statue, stained-glass windows and the impressive Gothic ceiling.
The ceiling deserves special mention.
Rather than using a complicated collection of individual ribs, FifiJoy designed flexible accordion-style ceiling panels reinforced with Gothic rib structures. The solution is clever, easy to assemble and produces an excellent visual result.
During this stage I was already wondering how the stained-glass windows would eventually be illuminated.
Fortunately, FifiJoy had already solved the problem perfectly.
The finished lighting produces beautiful backlit stained-glass effects without requiring any additional modification.
Smart Construction Sequence
After completing the sanctuary, construction continues with the left side of the church.
This is where the instructions begin introducing weathering elements such as broken masonry, vines and decorative debris.
Initially, this felt a little early.
Later, however, the reasoning became obvious.
Because the church is relatively narrow and tall, interior access becomes increasingly limited as construction progresses. Completing part of the weathering while the model remains open is actually a very smart design decision.
My build presented one additional challenge.
Since I was among the very first reviewers building this kit, there were no finished photographs available online for inspiration.
Everything you see in my finished model represents my own first interpretation of how an abandoned church should look.
Besides the supplied decorative materials, I also collected fine sand and small natural stones to create additional collapsed masonry and ruined sections inside the church.
Right Side Construction
The right side follows a similarly intuitive sequence.
Additional acrylic stained-glass windows are installed while one of the LED strips illuminates the lower interior.
At this point I temporarily assembled the rear church pews, even though the instructions place them almost at the end of the build.
I wanted to understand how much of the floor would remain visible before completing my interior weathering.
After planning the layout, I removed the pews again and continued building before installing them permanently later.
Front and Rear Walls
The installation of the front and rear walls is another highlight of the build and demonstrates just how much thought FifiJoy invested in both appearance and practicality.
The rear wall features a beautiful circular stained-glass window together with a pair of hinged double doors. These doors are not only attractive but also provide convenient access to the battery compartment, making battery replacement extremely easy without compromising the appearance of the finished model. It is an elegant and practical solution that deserves special recognition. Kudos to FifiJoy for incorporating such a smart design feature.
The front wall follows a similar construction philosophy but on a much grander scale. It features large ornamental Gothic entrance doors mounted on functional hinges, allowing them to open just like the rear doors. From the inside, the openings are protected by transparent acrylic panels that effectively keep dust out while remaining almost invisible during normal viewing.
The acrylic panels are attached using the supplied narrow double-sided adhesive tape, making installation both simple and precise. The entire assembly process is straightforward, and once installed, both the front and rear walls significantly enhance the realism and functionality of the finished church.
Roofing and Lighting
The roof construction is another highlight of the build.
The two major roof sections incorporate suspended lanterns hanging from metal chains, creating a striking Gothic appearance. Originally, I considered installing micro LEDs inside the lanterns, but decided to evaluate the factory lighting first before making any modifications.
One feature I was particularly curious about throughout the build was the illumination of the stained-glass windows in the sanctuary. During the early construction stages, I kept wondering how FifiJoy intended to create the backlighting effect and whether I would eventually need to modify it myself.
Fortunately, there was absolutely no need.
FifiJoy solved this beautifully. Two LEDs mounted on the sides of the sanctuary spread the light evenly across the rear stained-glass windows, producing a soft and convincing backlit effect. The illumination is balanced, atmospheric, and highlights the beautiful colours of the windows without creating distracting hot spots. It is one of the nicest lighting effects in the entire model and certainly doesn’t require any additional customization.
The main interior is illuminated by two warm white LEDs mounted in the roof structure. The resulting atmosphere feels natural, almost as if the church is still lit by candles. Personally, I may eventually experiment with replacing one of the LEDs with a cool white version simply to see how the atmosphere changes, but even in its original configuration the lighting works extremely well.
My Building Tip
One small modification is highly recommended.
After installing the rear lighting behind the stained-glass windows, small gaps remain around several window panels.
These gaps allow unwanted light to leak through.
I carefully sealed them using black tape and small amounts of UV resin.
The improvement is immediate.
The stained-glass windows appear far more realistic once all stray light has been eliminated.
It only takes a few minutes and is definitely worth doing.
Completing the Exterior
Once the main structure is complete, it may feel as though the model is finished.
It isn’t.
The remaining work focuses on the four corner towers, supporting buttresses and external Gothic ribs.
Although these sections contain many smaller parts requiring edge colouring, the construction remains enjoyable and straightforward.
One particularly clever design choice is the tower roofs.
Instead of folded paper, FifiJoy uses pre-cut acrylic sheets that naturally curve into shape before being glued onto the supporting framework.
The result is cleaner, stronger and easier to assemble.
Customization Potential
The instructions suggest adding vines, moss and vegetation both inside and outside the church.
I intentionally chose a more restrained approach.
Personally, I find it difficult to imagine ivy climbing forty or fifty metres to completely cover Gothic spires and steep roofs.
There is also a practical consideration.
Artificial foliage becomes an excellent dust collector.
Since the church itself is already relatively enclosed and naturally protected from dust, covering the exterior with large amounts of vegetation would reduce one of the model’s biggest practical advantages.
For me, the true beauty of this kit lies inside.
The illuminated stained-glass windows, ruined sanctuary, Gothic ceiling and carefully designed atmosphere are what make this model truly exceptional.
Instructions
The instructions are logically organised and easy to follow.
Lighting connections are colour-coded throughout, eliminating guesswork during electrical assembly.
My only criticism concerns the illustrations.
Like most FifiJoy manuals, they use an A5 format with relatively small, dark images.
Some construction details are difficult to distinguish without excellent eyesight or a magnifying glass.
The information itself is correct—it simply deserves larger, brighter illustrations.
Ratings
| Category | Rating |
|---|---|
| Design | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (10/10) |
| Engineering & Precision | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (10/10) |
| Lighting | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (9/10) |
| Instructions | ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ (8/10) |
| Difficulty | Intermediate to Advanced |
| Customization Potential | ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ (7/10) |
| Building Enjoyment | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (10/10) |
Final Verdict
FifiJoy has produced something genuinely special with Abandoned Gothic Church.
The engineering is among the very best I have experienced in a book nook. Every structural element fits precisely, the construction sequence is logical, the lighting is beautifully integrated, and the final model tells a compelling story rather than simply recreating a building.
Whether you enjoy Gothic architecture, atmospheric ruins or simply appreciate exceptionally well-engineered kits, this model delivers on every level.
It is sturdy, enjoyable to build, visually impressive and offers enough creative freedom to satisfy builders who enjoy personal customization without forcing anyone to modify the original design.
Overall Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (10/10)
Highly Recommended.
If you are looking for one of FifiJoy’s strongest releases—and one of the best-engineered book nooks currently available—I can recommend the Abandoned Gothic Church without hesitation.
Gallery
Leave a Reply