PLANS are underway for the construction of a replica of Noah’s Ark, which will be the centrepiece of a tourist complex of the same name to be built near Sunny Beach.
The complex will occupy 14 000 sq m on the southern Black Sea coast, about 6 km from the famous resort, and contain a museum showing replicas of historical artefacts. At its heart will be a 9 m high ark complete with animals entering two-by-two.
The project was launched two years ago when American ocean researchers came to the Black Sea looking for remains of ancient ships, hoping to prove that this is where the Biblical Flood took place about 7 500 years ago.
Bisser Banchev, director of the Institute for National Research (INR), said the reconstruction of Noah’s Ark in Bulgaria, launched by private initiative, is expected to be a gold mine for the country by increasing Black Sea tourism by as many as 50 000 people and generating an income of $1 billion.
“The whole project launches a completely new branch in the Bulgarian tourism industry,” Banchev said, noting that it would help speed the development of cultural tourism. In his view Noah’s Ark could be a wonder of the world and a source of curiosity for visitors from Japan, Western Europe and the US.
“These tourists who will be visiting the monument of culture are not the ones who have come to enjoy seaside or ski resorts,” Banchev said, adding that it was a chance for people to enjoy with their eyes rather than with just their stomachs in some vacation at the seaside.
“This change in the concept of tourism will also prolong the target peak holidays, making them all the year round,” he said. “Vacationers with cameras are missing in Bulgaria and they are the better-off group of people who have come to enjoy culture”.
According to Yurii Mihailov, expert at the INR, what the country needs to do is simply work out a way for the development of alternative and competitive tourism. For him, what Noah’s Ark offers is the advantage of its location close to already developed tourist destinations like Sunny Beach and Nessebar.
The only thing that worries Banchev is the centrifugal power that Noah’s Ark might have in the three main world religions.
“We hope some fanatic religious people will not be able to destroy what we are launching now,” he said, adding that because of Noah’s Ark features in the holy books of the three dominant religions, it is hoped no one will try to prevent the success of the project.
The project has already been successful in attracting international attention, and has been reported on National Geographic, Reuters, BBC and Associated Press.
The complex will occupy 14 000 sq m on the southern Black Sea coast, about 6 km from the famous resort, and contain a museum showing replicas of historical artefacts. At its heart will be a 9 m high ark complete with animals entering two-by-two.
The project was launched two years ago when American ocean researchers came to the Black Sea looking for remains of ancient ships, hoping to prove that this is where the Biblical Flood took place about 7 500 years ago.
Bisser Banchev, director of the Institute for National Research (INR), said the reconstruction of Noah’s Ark in Bulgaria, launched by private initiative, is expected to be a gold mine for the country by increasing Black Sea tourism by as many as 50 000 people and generating an income of $1 billion.
“The whole project launches a completely new branch in the Bulgarian tourism industry,” Banchev said, noting that it would help speed the development of cultural tourism. In his view Noah’s Ark could be a wonder of the world and a source of curiosity for visitors from Japan, Western Europe and the US.
“These tourists who will be visiting the monument of culture are not the ones who have come to enjoy seaside or ski resorts,” Banchev said, adding that it was a chance for people to enjoy with their eyes rather than with just their stomachs in some vacation at the seaside.
“This change in the concept of tourism will also prolong the target peak holidays, making them all the year round,” he said. “Vacationers with cameras are missing in Bulgaria and they are the better-off group of people who have come to enjoy culture”.
According to Yurii Mihailov, expert at the INR, what the country needs to do is simply work out a way for the development of alternative and competitive tourism. For him, what Noah’s Ark offers is the advantage of its location close to already developed tourist destinations like Sunny Beach and Nessebar.
The only thing that worries Banchev is the centrifugal power that Noah’s Ark might have in the three main world religions.
“We hope some fanatic religious people will not be able to destroy what we are launching now,” he said, adding that because of Noah’s Ark features in the holy books of the three dominant religions, it is hoped no one will try to prevent the success of the project.
The project has already been successful in attracting international attention, and has been reported on National Geographic, Reuters, BBC and Associated Press.
