Talk about the BIG apple! New sculpture is a 2.5 tonne map of Manhattan

In an incredible new exhibit, a Japanese artist recreated Manhattan out of a 2.5 tonne block of marble.



The intricacies of each building are detailed as the piece, called Little Manhattan, is an exact replica of every city block.



By using the same white marble for the entire piece, it looks as if the city is completely snow covered and pristine.

Bird's eye view: artist Yutaka Sone took numerous helicopter trips above the city in preparation for the project

Edgy: the stone is carved as if the city rests atop a canyon

Artist Yakutu Sone, 46, lives in Los Angeles but spent a good deal of time in New York while making the piece.



Mr Sone used photographs and Google Earth as tools during construction, but was also sure to get an overall feel for the island by taking multiple helicopter rides through the city skies.



The sculpture is so accurate that visitors can literally count the blocks until they find their building.

Needle in a haystack: viewers can spot their individual street if they look carefully

The way that it was completed, the piece shows Manhattan island as if it is on top of a canyon, with the sides of the island simply dropping down below.



The work is part of an exhibition at the David Zimer gallery in New York's Chelsea neighbourhood.



Established in 1993, the Zimer gallery 'focuses on historically relevant work by a diverse and distinctive group of artists'.

Bridges and tunnels: the sculpture includes the city's bridges but not the boroughs

The historical relevance of Mr Sone's project is clear as it presents a unique take on one of the world's most photographed cities.



The exhibit opened last week and will run through October 29.

Impressive: the sculpture was carved from a single 2.5 tonne piece of marble



