The theme park Tierra Santa in Buenos Aires, Argentina is unlike any of its kind. Instead of having rollercoasters and other rides, the park boasts of interactive displays of crucifixions and resurrections.
Tierra Santa, which is Spanish for Holy Land, features a reproduction of ancient Jerusalem with 37 different simulations depicting the Creation, Noah's Ark, the Last Supper, and many other pivotal Christian events described in the Bible, the Daily Mail reports.
For the crucifixion scene, an actor playing a blood-splattered Jesus Christ carries a cross while a Roman soldier whips him. Later, a robotic Jesus is seen nailed to the cross with two criminals beside him.
Entry to the park costs $130 for adults and $55 for children. Visitors will get to see all park staff dressed in costumes from the Roman era. During weekends or holidays, the park offers special performances such as Arabic dancing, puppetry, and carpentry.
Even the food takes a nod to ancient Jerusalem, with three restaurants offering dishes that take inspiration from Arabic and Armenian cuisines. For those who prefer modern fare, there is a pizza shop that caters to guests.
The park has been dubbed as "Christianity's answer to Disneyland," according to Thrillist.
Some have criticised the park as "creepy" and "a very tacky place," while others suggested that only "die-hard Christians" would love to visit it.
However, majority of its visitors wrote on TripAdvisor that they thoroughly enjoyed their experience there. "It's a very good place to spend a pleasant evening with family. Neatly maintained. The figurines depicted the Bible incidents and there are also other figurines placed in the park, like Mahatma Gandhi and Mother Teresa, to mention a few," wrote Antony Navin.
"Tierra Santa is a very nice place to visit and is a total replica of the Bible and Israel, and it will definitely take you back in time. The park has been open for 14 years and I think it is one of a kind," commented Howard Shore.
