Dutch Christian businessman Johan Huibers completed work on the life-size replica of Noah’s Ark in 2012 after raising the $5million needed to construct it. Building work began in 2008 and four years later, the full-sized replica was complete. Inside – like Noah’s Ark in the Bible story – there will be real animals including sheep as well as life-size models of giraffes, elephants, lions, crocodiles, zebras and bison.
Its dimensions are based on cubits, the measure used as described in the Book of Genesis.
A cubit was about 18 inches. The ark is 300 cubits in length (450ft), 30 cubits high (45ft) and 50 cubits (75ft) wide.
Mr Huibers’s ark has two conference rooms and can accommodate 1,500 visitors. He hopes the ark will relay the Biblical tale of how Noah kept pairs of animals on board so they could survive a flood sent by God to punish man.
Now, the Dutchman plans to sail the ship all the way to Israel from Holland.
Mr Huibers told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency: “My preferred destination for the ark is Israel.
“I love the land, I love the country, I love the people.”
This is because he believes the Bible verbatim and states that the boat belongs to the people of Israel – AKA “God’s Land”.
The 60-year old continued: “It may sound scary, but I believe everything written in this book, cover to cover.
“This is a copy of God’s ship. It only makes sense to take it to God’s land.”
Mr Huibers said that he built the ark “to show people that God exists.
“I wanted children to come here and feel the texture of the wood, see the nails and see that what is written in the book is true.”
The ark isn’t designed to save Mr Huibers’ life or family, however, he believes global catastrophes mean it could one day come in handy.
He said: “Maybe it will, who knows, but my survival is not its purpose.
“It’s meant to educate, a reminder that our world is changing, will continue to change, as we see now because of global warming, rising sea levels, fires.”
No time frame has been given on when the ark will set sail.