Dutchman builds replica Noah's Ark after flood dream
By Tim Hume, for CNN
updated 12:52 PM EDT, Mon July 30, 2012
Johan Huibers, a wealthy Dutch Christian, has built a full-scale replica of Noah's ark according to the measurements given in the Bible.
The Bible gives the ark's dimensions using the ancient measurement of the cubit -- the length of a man's arm from the elbow to the fingertips. The arks, both biblical and contemporary, are 300 cubits, or about 137 meters, long and 30 cubits, or about 14 meters, high.
Huibers has filled his ark, intended to act as a biblical museum to inspire people with the story of Noah and the flood, with a menagerie of plastic animals, and an aviary of real birds.
The Bible describes Noah's boat as made of "gopher wood," but experts disagree as to what this is. Huibers' ark is built from the metal hulls of 25 old barges welded to a single frame, and covered in Scandinavian pine.
Huibers has filled his boat with life-sized plastic animals to give visitors more to engage with.
The boat contains sleeping quarters, a theater, a restaurant and conference facilities to seat 1,500 people.
This is not Huibers' first ark. He finished construction of a half-scale version in 2004, following a dream 12 years earlier about a flood sweeping the Netherlands.
Johan's ark
Johan's ark
Johan's ark
Johan's ark
Johan's ark
Johan's ark
Johan's ark
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
- A Dutch businessman has built a replica of the Biblical Noah's Ark
- It is built to the proportions specified in the Bible, and filled with plastic animals
- The man built the ark after a nightmare that the Netherlands was flooded
- He hopes it will help spread the message of the Bible
London (CNN) -- A Dutchman has built a replica of Noah's Ark to biblical proportions, following a dream his homeland would be flooded.
Johan Huibers, a wealthy businessman, used the ancient measurement of the cubit -- the length of a man's arm from elbow to fingertips -- to build the vessel to the dimensions specified in the book of Genesis.
The finished craft -- which has just been opened to the public on the Merwede River in the Dutch town of Dordrecht -- is 300 cubits long (about 450 feet or 137 meters), 50 cubits wide (about 70 feet or 21 meters), and 30 cubits high (about 45 feet or 14 meters).
Floods force evacuations in Costa Rica
Huibers has filled his ark, which will operate as a "Bible museum," with life-sized plastic animals and an aviary of live birds to give visitors more to interact with.
"We want to tell people about God," Huibers told AFP. "We wanted to build something that can help explain the Bible in real terms."
It is not Huibers' first ark. He completed his first, a half-scale replica of Noah's Ark, in 2004, and used it to take tourists on canal trips, before beginning work on a full-scale version in 2008.
The origin of the project stems from a dream Huibers said he had in 1992, in which the low-lying Netherlands was flooded by the North Sea.
More damage expected after floods in North Korea kill dozens
"The next day I bought a book about Noah's Ark. That night while sitting on the couch with my kids, I looked at it and said: 'It's what we're going to do,'" he told AFP. "I have always been a dreamer."
He resolved to build the ark, to inspire children with the biblical story of how Noah and the inhabitants of his Ark survived the flood that, according to Old Testament, washed the world clean of sin.
Despite his best efforts, it was impossible to adhere entirely to the biblical description of the Ark. Genesis describes Noah's boat as made of "gopher wood," but experts disagree over what this is.
Instead, Huibers and his team built the boat by welding together the metal hulls of 25 barges into a single frame, which was then covered with Scandinavian pine. Weighing about 3,000 tons, the boat contains sleeping quarters, a theater, restaurant and conference facilities to seat 1,500 people.
Huibers initially wanted to sail his ark to London for the Olympics to share his message with sports fans. But he was forced to abandon his plan to sail across the North Sea after authorities raised safety issues.
China doubles Beijing flood death toll
Part of complete coverage on
Catch up with all the latest news, photos and comments from the London 2012 Olympic Games in CNN's live blog.
updated 10:06 PM EDT, Tue July 31, 2012
From the 200-meter butterfly swim to women's team gymnastics, see the best pictures from day 4 of the Games.
updated 11:51 AM EDT, Mon July 30, 2012
Syria's rebels have transformed themselves into an armed movement capable of attacking the country's two largest cities.
updated 9:00 AM EDT, Tue July 31, 2012
Eric Moussambani swam the worst 100m time in the history of the Olympics. Now 34, 'Eric the Eel' is hoping to return to the pool at Rio 2016.
updated 9:45 AM EDT, Sun July 29, 2012
Israelis and Palestinians in Jerusalem tell CNN which U.S. presidential candidate is better for their cause.
updated 9:24 AM EDT, Sat July 28, 2012
The 140 million Twitter users are creating new challenges at the first "social media Olympics."
updated 4:32 PM EDT, Tue July 31, 2012
Hundreds of millions have been dazzled by the sights and sounds of director Danny Boyle's opening ceremony for the 2012 Summer Games.
updated 11:28 PM EDT, Wed July 25, 2012
For the first time, every country enters a female competitor, and survivors of the Arab Spring will compete. What surprises will London produce?
updated 9:25 AM EDT, Thu July 26, 2012
Forget about the queen and Big Ben -- the Olympic Park is in the East End, long home to London's working and creative classes.
updated 9:01 PM EDT, Fri July 27, 2012
When five teenagers sat down and posed for a picture at Copco Lake in 1982, they didn't plan on making it a tradition. But that's what it became.
updated 7:24 AM EDT, Wed July 25, 2012
The Olympics may have started out as an idealistic showcase of amateur sporting prowess, but now it's a very big business.
updated 9:01 PM EDT, Fri July 27, 2012
When five teenagers sat down and posed for a picture at Copco Lake in 1982, they didn't plan on making it a tradition. But that's what it became.
updated 10:33 AM EDT, Thu July 26, 2012
He's got blue wings, an adventurous spirit and is poised to be the latest film star to come out of South Africa.
updated 11:36 PM EDT, Wed July 25, 2012
Fangshan residents are angry at what they perceive as government indifference to their plight following devastating floods.
updated 3:09 PM EDT, Sat July 28, 2012
Lisa Sylvester reports on Skydiver Felix Baumgartner - who survived a test jump from 96,000 feet, falling at 536 mph.
updated 12:31 PM EDT, Wed July 25, 2012
A team of young documentary makers is hoping to burst the myth of Africa as a dangerous backwater by shining a light on some inspiring projects.
updated 5:06 PM EDT, Mon July 23, 2012
Even after the Colorado shootings, Jonathan Mann says American attitudes and laws concerning guns aren't likely to change much.
updated 5:36 AM EDT, Fri July 27, 2012
Islamic radicals linked to al Qaeda have seized the northern half of Mali, triggering concerns that it could become a terrorist haven.
updated 2:14 AM EDT, Thu July 26, 2012
If you tire of the athletics in London this summer, take a stroll through the city's World Heritage Sites.
updated 8:08 AM EDT, Fri July 27, 2012
A spate of recent suicides caused by bullying prompts Japan to set up a dedicated team to prevent further tragedies.
Most popular stories right now
© 2012 Cable News Network. Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
|