Meet Johan Huiber, a guy with a big dream! Even if you’re not into the whole Christian thing, you can still appreciate Johan’s dedication. He’s a Dutch contractor who grew up surrounded by water in Noord-Holland, and he’s been fascinated by the ocean since he was a kid.
At 24, Johan turned to God, and nine years later, he had a dream about a massive flood wiping out the Netherlands. Taking it as a sign, he decided to build a boat inspired by Noah’s ark.
Johan started researching Noah’s ark in 1992, reading the Bible, checking reference books, and watching movies. His first ark, built from 2005 to 2007, was 70 meters long and cost a million euros.
He sailed it around the Netherlands for over three years.
But that wasn’t enough for Johan. In 2013, he completed an even bigger project: Johan’s Ark! He and his team spent four years building it, and it has seven floors. It’s a life-sized exhibit with Bible stories, attractions, a movie theater, and more.
It cost over 4 million euros and sits on a steel platform made of 21 barges.
The ark is massive: 119 meters long, 30 meters wide, and 23 meters high.
It attracted more than 280,000 visitors in four years. Inside, you’ll find statues of animals, two cinemas, and a restaurant. It’s been open to the public since 2012.
Johan originally wanted to sail the ark to Brazil, but that didn’t happen.
Now, he aims to take it to Israel. He’s looking for donations to cover the costs, around $1.3 million, as the ark doesn’t have a motor and would need tugboats for the journey.
Johan deserves a lot of respect for his incredible creation. Imagine stepping onto a real ark! Share if you think Johan’s dedication is impressive! 🚢🌊
