If you were to pick a place for the world’s largest sandcastle, naturally, a warm, tropical island nation would make sense. Instead, sand sculptors have just unveiled the world’s largest sandcastle in a cold Nordic country, reported USA Today.
- Yes, Denmark now holds the Guinness world record for the largest sandcastle ever, said The Guardian.
- Blokhus, Denmark — a small town on the Danish coast — unveiled the sandcastle on Wednesday, per The Guardian.
Surprised? That’s only the beginning of this sandcastle’s story.
How big is the world’s biggest sandcastle?
At 69 feet tall, the world’s largest sandcastle took almost 5,000 tons of sand to create. About 30 of the world’s best sand sculptors worked together to complete the project, reported USA Today.
- In 2019, a sandcastle in Germany set the record for being the world’s tallest sandcastle at 58 feet tall, reported Guinness World Records.
The castle’s shape is similar to a pyramid. Local scenes from Blokhus — such as the beach houses, lighthouses, kitesurfing and windsurfing — are incorporated into the design.
The world’s tallest sandcastle has been completed in Denmark, towering more than 20 metres high and comprising nearly 5,000 tonnes of sand, according to its designers.
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Why was the sandcastle built?
This sandcastle is not just the world’s largest sandcastle; it may also be the world’s first coronavirus-inspired sandcastle. Dutch artist Wilfred Stijger, who designed the project, “created the sandcastle to represent the power the coronavirus has held over the world,” said USA Today.
- Coronavirus “tells you what to do. ... It tells you to stay away from your family and not go to nice places. Don’t do activities, stay home,” Stijger told The Guardian.
- The top of the sculpture shows a replica of the virus in the form of a crown, per USA Today.
How long will the sandcastle last?
As anyone who has built a sandcastle knows, the structures tend not to last long. However, to protect against the harsh Danish wind and snow, this sandcastle was covered in a thin layer of glue after completion, reported The Hill.
- Surprisingly, the sandcastle is expected to stand until February or March 2022, said USA Today.