The New "Noah's Ark"
Almost like a theme park for Noah's Ark Enthusiasts - the Dutch Version has finally opened to the public
The ark, in the town of Schagen, is 150 cubits long - half the length of Noah's - and three storeys high. A cubit was about 45cm (18in) long.The ark opened its doors on Saturday, after almost two years' construction, most of it by Mr Huiber himself.
"The design is by my wife, Bianca," Mr Huibers said. "She didn't really want me to do this at all, but she said if you're going to anyway, it should look like this."
Life-size models of giraffes, elephants, lions, crocodiles, zebras and bison are included in the ark's interior.
The Bible's Book of Genesis says Noah kept seven pairs of most tamed animals and one breeding pair of all other creatures in the boat, which survived a catastrophic flood sent down by God to punish man.
Mr Huibers spent nearly two years building the ark
Mr Huibers, a contractor, built the ark out of cedar and pine - because Biblical scholars are still not sure as to which type of wood was used in the ark's construction.
He began building in May 2005, after he dreamed of the Netherlands being flooded.
Tags: museums, themeparks, biblical, noahs ark, old testament, schagen