A COLOMBIAN CHRISTMAS is no small thing. This year Bogota is hosting the world’s largest Nativity scene, while in the township of Monteria, in northern Colombia, the biggest ever ‘floating’ Christmas tree has been erected.
Bogota’s Parque Simon Bolivar is the site of the gargantuan Nativity scene, which is sprawled out over 20,000 square meters and contains 700 tons of lights, figures, sculptures and other equipment.
The Nativity scene is said to be the exact replica of the town of Bethlehem in the time of Jesus Christ, and is a four-time Guinness World Record breaker as the biggest in the world for the largest number of figures, the largest number of “good wishes” and the most human replicas.
The organisers this year are hoping to reach a new world record – most visited.
The Nativity has 57 different ‘scenes’ depicting the key moments of Christmas as described by the Bible, and contains 300 human and animal sculptures, 85 replicas of houses and buildings from the time, as well as 100 actors who “bring it to life,” reports said.
Another Christmas treat is featured in the Northern town of Monteria, where they have installed the biggest ever floating Christmas tree in Colombia, which is suspended over the River Sinu.
The tree is 14 meters high and is lit up with 4,000 meters of garland and 7,000 LED lights, according to the mayor of the town. Monteria will display their Christmas lights until Jan. 7, 2015.
Entry to the Nativity scene in Simon Bolivar Park in Bogota costs 7,000 pesos during the day, and 20,000 pesos after 7pm.