Die Berg Komt Er

Die Berg Komt Er ("That Mountain Is Coming") was a proposed construction in the Netherlands. The concept was to create a man-made mountain in a country famed for its generally flat landscape. It was suggested in a column by Thijs Zonneveld, whose thoughts on the idea were initially intended to be comedic. However, it quickly gained attention due to serious responses and feasibility studies.

In July 2011, Thijs Zonneveld, a journalist and semi-professional cyclist, wrote a column in NU.nl about the need for a mountain in the Netherlands. He proposed that the country should build a mountain 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) tall and 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) wide. Although not intended to be a serious suggestion, it quickly gained support from organisations including the Dutch Ski Association, Dutch Climbing and Mountaineering Association (NKBV), and Royal Dutch Cycling Union (KNWU).

Zonneveld's column suggested that there would be significant benefits to Dutch sport, noting a lack of success in ski-jumping, bobsledding, and cycling. He also wrote about the possibility of including a road with hairpin bends and an ice rink. There would be further benefits for athletes who would be able to train at high altitudes.

Initial feasibility studies suggested that the construction might be possible but only if it were hollow. If a solid mountain of the proposed size were to be constructed it would take up to 7.7 billion cubic metres (2.7 billion tons) of sand. The weight of this addition to the landscape could affect ground levels for distances up to 50 kilometres (31 mi) away, lowering the altitude by up to 100 metres (330 ft).

The required volume of materials needed for the construction of the project would be a significant barrier to its success in terms of availability and financial cost. There would also be substantial carbon dioxide emissions in the production of the materials.

In early 2012, Bartels Consulting Engineers gathered mathematicians from across Europe to investigate the potential problems that could be encountered with the construction. They met as part of the 2012 Mathematics with Industry conference in Eindhoven. They looked into the possibility that the weight of the structure might affect minor geological faults and cause earthquakes, and how the weather systems might be changed by the structure.

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Wikipedia