高さ世界一、２０メートルの砂の城　デンマーク

【コペンハーゲンＡＦＰ＝時事】デンマークの海辺にある小さな町ブロックフスで７日、高さ世界一の砂の城が完成した。（写真はデンマークのブロックフスにつくられた世界一高い砂の城）
　この城をつくったウィルフレッド・スタイハーさんによると、高さは２１．１６メートル。ドイツで２０１９年につくられた砂の城のギネス世界記録を３メートルも上回った。約５０００トンの砂が使われている。
　制作には、世界有数の砂像彫刻家３０人が参加した。砂が崩れないように粘土を約１０％混ぜ込み、完成後に全体をのりで固めた。厳しい霜が降りる来年２月から３月ごろまで形を保てるという。
　城の頂は、新型コロナウイルスを模した形になっている。大流行によって世界に影響を及ぼしたウイルスの力を表現したとスタイハーさんは語った。またウインドサーフィンやビーチハウス、灯台など地元を代表するモチーフもかたどられている。【翻訳編集ＡＦＰＢＢＮｅｗｓ】
〔ＡＦＰ＝時事〕（2021/07/09-13:02）

In the small seaside town of Blokhus in Denmark, the world's tallest sandcastle has been completed, weighing nearly 5,000 tonnes and towering over 20 metres high, its designers said Wednesday.
Standing 21.16 metres high (69.4 feet), more than three metres taller than a castle built in Germany in 2019, which previously held the title with its 17.66 metres, according to Guinness World Records.
A total of 4,860 tonnes of sand make up the intricately decorated structure which is reminiscent of a pyramid.
Its creator, Dutchman Wilfred Stijger, who was assisted by 30 of the world's best sand sculptors, wanted the castle to represent the power of the novel coronavirus over the world since the beginning of the pandemic.
Atop the sandcastle is a model of the virus wearing a crown.
It's ruling our lives everywhere, Stijger said.
It 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, he added.
To make it more cohesive, the sand contains approximately 10 percent clay and a layer of glue was applied after it was completed so that it could stand up to the chilly and windy conditions of the autumn and winter.
Inhabitants of Blokhus have also been delighed to see local features incorporated into the sandscastle, such as windsurfing and kite-surfing, beach houses, fish and lighthouses.
The castle is expected to stand until the heavy frost sets in, meaning it should last until February or March.