Johan Huibers, a wealthy Dutch Christian, has built a full-scale replica of Noah's ark according to the measurements given in the Bible.
Johan's ark —
Johan Huibers, a wealthy Dutch Christian, has built a full-scale replica of Noah's ark according to the measurements given in the Bible.
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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.
Johan's ark —
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.
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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.
Johan's ark —
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.
AFP/Getty Images
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.
Johan's ark —
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.
AFP/Getty Images
Huibers has filled his boat with life-sized plastic animals to give visitors more to engage with.
Johan's ark —
Huibers has filled his boat with life-sized plastic animals to give visitors more to engage with.
AFP/Getty Images
The boat contains sleeping quarters, a theater, a restaurant and conference facilities to seat 1,500 people.
Johan's ark —
The boat contains sleeping quarters, a theater, a restaurant and conference facilities to seat 1,500 people.
AFP/Getty Images
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 —
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.
AFP/Getty Images