The Dutch are looking for a new view beyond their flat terrain, and they have their sights set on a mountain.
After a journalist wrote a comical column suggesting building an artificial mountain in the Netherlands, he received an outpouring of support for the idea.
Architects, engineers and officials have recently brainstormed ways to complete the feat, and the country might very well be on its way to making a mountain out of no hills.
In a July column, sports writer and former professional cyclist Thijs Zonneveld pointed out that Holland's own head out of the country during the summer and winter months to go hiking, biking or skiing. Holland, he argued, should have its own mountain -- a 6,560-ft. one to be exact, Spiegel Online reports.
And now he's leading the effort to get the project off the ground.
The level of excitement was so high at last week's brainstorming session held in Utrecht, that participants reportedly began chanting, "The mountain is coming!" according to PRI's The World.
Architects have presented several ideas for the design of man-made landmark, including plans for a flat-topped mesa and snow-capped mountain to sit in the North Sea.
The proposed peak would not only draw outdoor enthusiasts and tourists, it would draw a lot of business with restaurants, hotels, gas stations and more, Radio Netherlands Worldwide points out.
But along with opportunities, come obstacles.
The project could cost several billion dollars; although Zonneveld told Spiegel Online he thinks it can be done for $1.43 billion.
In addition to the price tag, investors and officials must take into account the environmental impact and residential displacement involved with the construction, not to mention possible legal and economic hurdles they'll likely face.
“This strange idea has only one point of departure: supposedly making money for the few while many others and the Dutch landscape will be the ones to suffer," one listener told Radio Netherlands Worldwide.
And where there are advocates, there are always adversaries.
An anti-mountain fan page has popped up on Facebook, and some people are sharing their disapproval for the project.
“I am anti-mountain!” writes one visitor to the page. “First of all, it will be an eyesore, and second, that money could be better spent on education and health care.”
Holland's highest ground sits tall at 1059 feet, comparable in height to the Eiffel Tower, according to Metro Online.
A 6,560-ft. mountain would tower over the world's tallest building, which stands at about 2,700 feet in Dubai. If completed, the new peak will be no rival to Mount Everest, which stands at about 29,000 feet.
