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Giant Artichoke

Coordinates: 36°45′45″N 121°45′11″W / 36.7624°N 121.7530°W / 36.7624; -121.7530
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Giant Artichoke
The sculpture in 2009, next to the restaurant
ArtistRay Bei
Year1963
MediumConcrete and rebar
SubjectArtichoke
Dimensions20 ft (6.1 m) tall
12 ft (3.7 m) wide
Coordinates36°45′45″N 121°45′11″W / 36.7624°N 121.7530°W / 36.7624; -121.7530

Giant Artichoke, also known as the World's Largest Artichoke, is a large sculpture of an artichoke in Castroville, California, commonly referred to as the "Artichoke Capital of the World". It is located adjacent to the New American cuisine-serving restaurant of the same name. It is made from concrete and rebar.[1][2]

History

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Ray Bei, the owner of a roadside restaurant and vegetable stand, built the sculpture in 1963.[1][2][3] He was the son of a local artichoke farmer and found a way to convert the crop into a tourist attraction. Bei's fruit stand still stands next to his restaurant as of 2015.[4]

Restaurant

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The restaurant next to the sculpture, also called the Giant Artichoke, serves a variety of artichoke-themed dishes, including deep-fried artichoke, steamed artichoke, roasted artichoke, artichoke pizza, artichoke dip, artichoke bread, artichoke cupcakes, and artichoke nachos.[2][3]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Artichokes, California Grown". See California. Archived from the original on January 15, 2018. Retrieved February 7, 2024.
  2. ^ a b c "World's Largest Artichoke". World's Largest Things. Archived from the original on July 6, 2024. Retrieved February 7, 2024.
  3. ^ a b "World's Largest Artichoke". Roadtrippers. Archived from the original on February 7, 2024. Retrieved February 7, 2024.
  4. ^ "THE WORLD'S LARGEST ARTICHOKE: Get All Choked Up Over It". California Curiosities. July 14, 2015. Archived from the original on February 7, 2024. Retrieved February 7, 2024.