Sri Lankan Christmas tree facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Sri Lankan Christmas tree |
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| Location | Colombo, Sri Lanka |
| Height | 72.1 m (236 ft 6.58 in) |
| Open | 24 December 2016 |
| Cost | US$80,000 |
| Materials | Iron, wood, plastic net |
| Notable | Tallest artificial Christmas tree |
The Sri Lankan Christmas tree is known as the tallest artificial Christmas tree in the world! It was built in Colombo, Sri Lanka, on a place called Galle Face Green. This amazing tree is about 72 meters (236 feet) tall. It was officially opened on Christmas Eve in 2016, just in time for the holidays.
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Building the World's Tallest Tree
This giant tree is shaped like a cone. It has a strong frame made from steel and wire. Workers used scrap metal and wood to build its base. The whole structure was then covered with plastic netting.
The tree was decorated with about one million natural pine cones. These cones were painted in gold, green, red, and silver colors. At night, 600,000 LED bulbs lit up the tree, making it shine brightly.
On top of the tree sat a huge, glowing Christmas star. This star was 6 meters (20 feet) tall and weighed about 60 kilograms (132 pounds). The entire project cost around US$80,000. About 150 people from the Sri Lankan Ministry of Ports and Shipping helped build it.
Challenges During Construction
Building the tree started in August 2016. However, work stopped for a while in December. Some people, including the Catholic Church, felt that the money could be better spent helping those in need. They thought it was too much money for a decoration.
After discussions with a religious leader, Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, work on the tree started again. The original plan was for the tree to be even taller, about 100 meters (328 feet). But because of the delays, its height had to be reduced to 72.1 meters (236 feet). A 6-meter (20-foot) tall Santa Claus with a sled was also placed next to the tree.
Breaking a World Record
The Sri Lankan Christmas tree broke a world record! Before this, the tallest artificial Christmas tree was 56 meters (184 feet) tall. That tree was built in Guangzhou, China, in 2015.
How It Compares to Other Structures
Let's see how the Sri Lankan Christmas tree compares to some other famous tall structures:
1. Sri Lankan Christmas tree [72.1 m] 2. Guangzhou Christmas tree [56 m] 3. Colombo WTC [152 m] 4. Statue of Liberty (Including pedestal) 45 + 47 = [93 m] 5. Christ the Redeemer (Including pedestal) 30 + 8 = [38 m]
What Happened Next
Even after it was built, some people had comments about the tree. They felt it didn't have enough ornaments or green branches. Unlike the tree in Guangzhou, you could see its inner frame. Some even thought its shape looked more like a rocket than a traditional Christmas tree.
The tree was taken down in January 2017. However, it was officially recognized by Guinness World Records in December 2017 as the tallest artificial Christmas tree.
