Bottle House of Ganja

People express their loves in a lot of ways. Collecting is one. People the world over pick a subject they like, start saving tokens they particularly like, and before long they have an array worthy of showing off. Construction is another. Instead of collecting objects, they build them, paint them, or cobble them together. These two hobbies don't intersect often, but when they do, it's always impressive.

The Bottle House, a local icon in Ganja, Azerbaijan is a perfect example of this synthesis. An entire house ostensibly constructed entirely out of glass bottles, this abode is unlike any most will ever see.

Mottled with shimmering colors, translucent in the summer sun, the Bottle House reflects and refracts light that passes through its walls like a prism in a window. The thousands of bottles that cover its walls are delicately placed to create works of art -- mosaics that form portraits, words, and designs on every square inch of the building.

The Bottle House is a private residence -- there are no fees to take a look, but also no hours or official guided tours. That doesn't stop numerous visitors and passers-by from coming to marvel at the feat of both engineering and creativity that were used to create it. Call it a collection, or call it a work of art, but the closest description of this house is that it's both. Visitors can support the maintenance costs of the house by shopping at the homemade souvenir stand under the porch whenever open.