To some artists, building a sandcastle is more than just a way to spend a day at the beach. With enough time and resources, sand architects can transform the humble material into intricate works of art. That’s the case with the structure highlighted in the video below. Standing 69 feet tall, the COVID-19-inspired sculpture is officially the tallest sandcastle ever built, The Guardian reports.
The castle was constructed in the coastal town of Blokhus, Denmark. Dutch artist Wilfred Stijger led a team of 30 sculptors to create the piece, using 5357 tons of sand mixed with 10 percent clay for stability. A coat of glue applied to the outside of the castle will protect it from the weather, potentially preserving the structure until late winter of next year.
When designing the artwork, Stijger drew inspiration from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. At the top of the castle sits a virus wearing a crown—a nod to the Latin word corona for “crown.” The image is also meant to evoke the way the novel coronavirus has dominated our lives for over a year.
Denmark’s coronavirus castle is just one example of impressive sand art. The previous record-holder of the world’s tallest sandcastle was built in Germany in 2019, and it stood nearly 58 feet tall.
[h/t The Guardian]
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