Builders of Noah’s Ark 'Replica' Hope to Sail From Holland to Brazil
The Ark was built in the Netherlands.
— -- One Christian organization is hoping to bring a story from the Bible to life.
The group Ark of Noah hopes to set sail in a "replica" of the Ark of Noah sometime this year.
The ark, which spans five floors and can hold more than 5,000 people at once, is 95 feet wide, 410 feet long and 75 feet tall.
Dutch carpenter Johan Huibers said he began building the Ark of Noah after dreaming about an intense storm that flooded his hometown in the Netherlands.
According to Herald A.M.A. Janssen, the director of the Ark of Noah Foundation, Huibers built the ark using the measurements given in Genesis 6:15 to make the ark "as precise as possible."
"And this is how you shall make it: The length of the ark shall be three hundred 8 cubits, its width fifty cubits, and its height thirty cubits," reads the Bible passage.
By reviewing multiple historical measurement units in the various ancient cultures, Huibers created a measurement scale to use while building his ark.
Upon completion in 2012, the ark became a multi-floor interactive exhibit, focused on the spreading of religious teachings from the bible for Christian educational purposes.
Tourists who visit the ark encounter Bible-based stories and exhibitions, attractions, a movie theater and more.
Janssen told ABC News that for its upcoming voyage, which is still in its planning stages, the foundation intends to sail the ark to multiple port cities in Brazil as well as Argentina, Uruguay and Colombia before coming to the United States.
"We are so pleased with the very warm support of the private community in Fortaleza, our first stop in Brazil after crossing the Atlantic Ocean," Janssen said. "[We also appreciate] the warm welcome of the City Hall of Rio de Janeiro ... which has extended the invitation that we are welcome to visit the beautiful port of Rio de Janeiro, next to the old city."
"The target is to reach Fortaleza in July, and reach the Paralympic Games 2016 in Rio de Janeiro by September 7," Janssen said.