Johan Huibers just finished a building a new ark that is even bigger than his original one, pictured here.
It turns out somebody actually knows what a cubit is. Because one man converted the Biblical measurements to create a scale model of Noah’s ark. And it’s big. Really big.
Johan Huibers of the Netherlands had a dream in 1991 that Holland was flooding. Three years and $1.6 million later, Huibers has a shiny new tourist attraction. The boat, which is as long as football field and four stories high, will be opened to the public as a tourist attraction with a religious message.
(LIST: Top 50 American Roadside Attractions)
The ship can hold 1,500 people, but not two of every animal. Instead, he’s opted for life-size plastic replicas of elephants, giraffes and others to adorn the decks. The animals that will make the voyage? The ones that can fit into a petting zoo and an aviary, which will be held on the top deck.
Huibers previously built an ark half the size of his most recent project. He was able to use the money gained from entrance fees to finance the full-scale boat.
He hopes to sail down the Thames River and dock in London for the 2012 Olympics.
Yes, the vessel is seaworthy, though the pine ship has to be reinforced with steel because of its size. Huibers plans to sail it through Holland’s canals in the meantime. But when asked if it would survive rising sea levels, whether it be from climate change or the Mayan end of the calendar, he had a pretty straightforward answer.
“I don’t think so.”
MORE: Taxpayers To Build the Ark: Kentucky Grants Creationist Theme Park $43M in Tax Incentives