mountains

There was a day when Benidorm had one of the largest Russian mountains in Europe. Today is a closed fiasco and still standing

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Magnus Colossus has been closed since 2016. Considered an icon of mythical terra, its practically definitive closure is a good symbol of everything that has ended up destroying the park: bad organization, embezzlement and a series of murky plots that ended in very serious judgments and convictions. Today, Magnus Colossus is dead, but his journey full of curves leaves a few lessons on the park. Mythical Colossus. Magnus Colossus was one of the most important Russian mountains in Europe (and the largest: length of 1,149.7 meters and maximum speed of 92 km/h) and One of the absolute icons of the ambitious amusement park. However, a series of stumbling blocks in construction, added to the economic and organizational decline of the park, have led to its greatness to end limited to that of mere aesthetic claim. A closed colossus. Almost a decade has closed this spectacular roller wooden mountain that took advantage of the natural terrain of a limestone quarry, 180 meters above sea level. The culprit of its uselessness is the heat that has inflamed the wood, which entails too expensive maintenance. However, his presence under the gigantic poster that presides over the views of the park, on the mountain, has given him a unique personality. The negligence of the owners of the facilities, who have not dedicated the necessary resources for the care of Magnus Colossus, has ended the giant. “Irregularities in maintenance”. In 2016 it was decided to close Magnus Colossus, in principle temporarily to undertake the renovations that would solve problems that existed then, such as the excessive trachetening of the wagons. However, They never got to undertakesince the park had more serious problems to deal with: controversy, suspicions of corruption and various negligence in maintenance, which culminated when an investigation detected that had used creating to treat wood, substance prohibited at an industrial level for being carcinogenic. Photo: Jeremy Thompson Dramas before starting. The controversies and suspicions that have always surrounded the park started even before its inauguration: in August 1992, with Spain submerged in the maelstrom of the expo and the Olympicsa forest fire razed the area known as “the largest Pinada in the Mediterranean”, in the area where Terra Mítica would be built. 450 hectares of non -urbanizable land of special forest protection They were razedand although it was not proven judicially, associations like Greenpeace suspected That the fire could have been intentional, seeking recalification. After the fire, in fact, the land was expropriated and re -qualified, which allowed the construction of a mythical terra, a hotel zone and two golf courses. The current law prohibits the change in forest land use for 30 years after a fire, but this case occurred before the entry into force of the regulations. 1990s in its purest form. Terra mythical is a paradigmatic case of the bubble and the speculation that occurred so much in Spain by those dates. About the park they hit Judicial suspicions and research for embezzlement, fraud, money laundering and influence peddling. The trial began in 2015 and dozens of entrepreneurs and managers were charged. Among other things, there was a plot of false invoices for almost 4.5 million euros to companies for non -existent services in the years 2000 and 2001, in addition to 150 million euros to ghost companies. Photo: Jeremy Thompson The verdict came to light in 2016: Two former director, including the exemptedness of the then president of the Generalitat, Eduardo Zaplana and 20 entrepreneurs were convicted of corruption, scam, documentary falsehood and crimes against the Public Treasury with sentences between 4 and 47 years in prison. Terra mythical is sold. In 2004, only four years after its inauguration, Terra Mítica entered into suspension of payments: like so many projects of the time, business forecasts had been well above their results. The Generalitat Valenciana sold their participation to the company Aqualandia in 2011 for 65 million euros, well below the initial investment of 400 million euros. In the background, the roller coaster. With these accounts, it is not surprising that Terra mythical is very far from their best times (if they came to exist at some point). With very scarce visits, almost exclusively from devotees from the parks, in 2021 Terra mythical He reported 6 million euros in losses and 4.3 of income (let’s compare, for example, with port adventure, with 163 million in revenue). Magnus Colossus has few chances of raising head at some point in the future, and remains for posterity such as the wooden skeleton that reminds us of the great bubble of embezzlement in the construction of the Spain of the nineties. Header | Jeremy Thompson In Xataka | We have known how to eliminate the tails of the attraction parks. Disney keeps them for something

China has ships the size of buildings that sail on mountains. All thanks to the largest elevators in the world

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China is the cradle of record mega -structures. They build in all dimensions (they have unnoticing skyscrapers in the world and deeper oil well) and, on many occasions, they are extremely complicated works, such as the Gaoligongshan tunnel or that of Huajiang Great Canyon Bridge. Something that also abounds in China are pharaonic dams, being the Three throats The biggest in the world. And something that these dams need are elevators, but not for people: for ships. And the elevator systems of both dams are so imposing that they allow ships of up to 3,000 tons to “sail” through the sky. The classic solution. There are dams and prey. When one of these structures is built, the river navigation flow. Sometimes, it doesn’t matter too much because that river was not a key communication route for trade, but other times it is necessary to devise a solution to have a prey without interfering in the activity of the ships. The solution is the one used in channels like Panama or Suez: huge and sealed cameras that are filled with water when a ship enters so that it can overcome the unevenness and continue its path. Or vice versa when you want to “go down.” The problem is that it is a system that requires a lot of time and transit is resent. And the revolution. The solution to this? Elevator systems such as those we use daily, but for ships. A close example is that of the Falkirk wheel in Scotlanda rotating elevator with a combined capacity of 600 tons that allows the barges of the channel to follow its course. Each of the drawers has the capacity for two ships up to 20 meters in length and seeing it in operation is most curious because it is like a fair attraction: Now, as we say: 20 meters of length is the maximum and 600 tons is not so much weight. They are the dimensions for passenger ships that navigate a channel, but China needed the Commercial ship traffic He did not stop at two of his great dams. And the solution they found is the one we used to see in the country’s constructions: bombastic elevators. Before the elevator (in the most focused part), in the dam of the three throats there was only one system of locks The three throats. The three throats dam is imposing in every way. Located on the Yangtsé River, it has an installed power of 22,500 MW for hydroelectric energyhas a height of about 185 meters and a total length of 2,335 meters. It is the Great Chinese Aquatic Wall. To maintain an annual traffic of almost 30,000 ships, including Cruises and Portenerosomething had to be done, and in 2016 they finished the Huge elevator. It is a vertical elevator that is how we imagine that it should be an elevator for ships: a huge bathtub of 120 meters long and 18 wide, tens of steel cables and a powerful pulley system that have the ability to displace ships up to 3,000 tons. The total lifting weight, including chamber and water, is 15,500 tons. It covers 113 meters high and, three hours of total journey, it is passed to about 40 minutes. It is something that is sought to expand to increase the movement capacity of 18 ships daily to a larger amount and here you have it in operation: That of the Goupitan dam. Now, although imposing due to its dimensions and load capacity, its design is more functional than aesthetic. However, the elevator system of the Goupitan dam It is another song. Located on the WU River, which is a tributary of Yangtsé, has a length of 430 meters and a height of 232 meters. It stands out not so much for its installed energy capacity of 3,000 MW, but for its channel -shaped elevators system. Unlike the three throats, to save the unevenness caused by the dam, engineers devised a system of three vertical elevators connected by channels. The maximum boat capacity is 500 tons and the camera is much smaller (40 x 12 meters), but the relevant is the total height of those 199 meters that save the ships. And the times? About two hours in total for the entire route, but its design channel design reduces bottlenecks. Tourist point. The system of channels and elevators of the Goupitan dam ended in 2021 and was a technical headache by connecting several small elevators with each other, as well as a system of channels that, in some case, surrounds one of the mountains. It was a way to demonstrate the technical capacities of the country, but it has also become a tourist point that goes viral in networks due to how attractive it is to see a ship sailing on the mountains. And, although the elevator of the three throats can be boring, it is also a tourist claim, with cruises that include the elevator on your route. Australia, heat what you go out. But, if something is teaching us the Battle of the towers between Saudi Arabia and Arab Emirateswe are in a constant search to overcome ourselves when we talk about megaconstructions, and it is already under construction that will be the new largest stocks for ships in the world, at least by weight: the Darwin Ship Lift Facity. It will be in Australia and it will be an elevator 103 meters long, 26 wide and capacity for vessels of up to 5,500 tons. It is designed to serve fishing vehicles, cruises, border defense, energy and container. Now, the distance to save is just … six meters. Much less impressive than the other great elevators that are worldwide because it will be a maintenance platform, not something to save a height between two sections of a river. Images | Google Maps, Fredlyfish4, Le Grand PortaGederIVATIVE In Xataka | NASA has made the calculations: China can slow down the earth with a filling of the three throats

The mountains of Aragon are plagued by Christian crosses. Now there is a battle to tear them down or maintain them

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Aragon lives his peculiar “Cruces War”. One that has begun in the mountains of the region, has jumped to the administrations and threatens Finish in the Courts. And all following a crucifix of several meters installed in the Sierra de Albarracín, a construction that has divided part of the Aragonese political class and society: for some it is a symbol that It must be preserved for its heritage, historical and symbolic value; For others, an element that must be withdrawn by representing a danger or directly crash with the aconfesionality of the State. The debate is served. The beginning of everything, a ray. If Aragon has faced his particular “battle of the crosses” for a few weeks, it is for lightning. A few months ago, In September of 2024, the Sierra de Albarracín suffered a storm that affected THE CROSS OF BEZASa monument of several meters high and several steps located on top of a rock. The cross did not fall, but it was affected by a ray that, Precise Diario de TeruelHe broke part of the concrete and gave a scare to a guard. What happened? The episode was a problem for several reasons. The ray was supposedly splintered part of the stone that covers the metal structure of the cross and the fragments fell near a guard. Enough for the Provincial Environment Service will send a letter to the town hall in which he proposed to withdraw the monument. Among other reasons alleged that it acts as a lightning rod during storms, a risk that could now increase that its metal is air. “An environmental risk”. The regional report in which it was argued that the cross represents “An environmental risk” convinced the Consistory, that He gave green light to demolition. Beyond the danger it can represent, the cross is popular in the area (it names the Peñasco on which it rose), but it is not especially old nor is there a clear unanimity about its historical value. The monument was installed in July 1939in memory of battalion 135 Bailén, but Alfonso Casas, expert in the Spanish Civil War, I explained recently In an interview with Diario de Teruel that in his opinion “it is not properly a vestige of the war.” Moreover, in his opinion he also does not have a special artistic value. And the debate arrived. Not everyone thinks the same. The decision to tear down the cross He didn’t like it For example to Christian lawyers, who a few days ago filed an appeal before the contentious-administrative court of Teruel. Its argument is simple: the cross has been in the same state for several decades (they presented a video in which they ensure that it can be seen how in the 80s the structure already had the pampering damages that now blame the lightning), so there is no reasons to remove it from the rock. “This monument, erected in 1939, reaches three meters with the base and is an important symbol of Christianity in the valley,” Highlight entitywho complains that “everything that recalls that Spain is and must remain Catholic” produces “a strange hives” in institutions. To reinforce his claim he has also initiated a collection of signatures that backed by more than 13,300 people. Beyond the Cruz de Bezas. So far the case is interesting but basically affects the municipality of Bezas and its neighbors. If you have caught the attention of state media It is because the debate has climbed and that September ray has put in the point of view other religious monuments distributed throughout the Aragonese mountains. One of the key actors of that debate has been Vox, which He has taken advantage to go beyond the decision of demolition of Bezas. His spokesman in the courts of Aragon, Alejandro Nolasco, has advanced Two party decisions. First, claim in the courts to keep the Cross of Bezas. Second, promote an initiative for “all historical and artistic goods that the Taliban of the PP and PSOE want to destroy” are declared BIC. “We are going to live times in which the crosses are going to tear down putting environmental, landscape excuses. Of course, free way for mills and plates.” “Contributes to degradation”. Vox has already proposed to achieve BIC’s tag (and armor) sights Located in the Old Pueblo de Belchite, Los Pinares de Venice, Monzón, Barbastro or Teruel, where he also wants protection to The cross located in the Plaza del Seminario. However, another group that advocates something very different: the Movement towards a secular state (Mhuel). In fact the entity has launched A campaign to demand the withdrawal of religious symbols distributed by the Summits of Aragon. “Aragonese mountains are fragile spaces that already suffer strong pressure from human activity,” The association arguesthat insists in that the presence of metal crossings affects the ecosystem and are a danger for hikers, especially during storms. “The installation of artificial elements contributes to the degradation of these spaces, many cataloged.” The great background debate. It is not the only argument that Mhuel wields, which also points to the great background debate: religious symbols in the middle of the mountain. “The presence of Christian symbols in public natural spaces contravenes the principle of aconfesionality of the State collected in our Constitution,” ditch: “The mountains are heritage of all citizens, regardless of their beliefs, and must remain free of religious symbols that represent only one part.” Hence the entity advocates extending Bezas’s criteria. But … how many are there? Good question, difficult answer. Bezas is not the only cross that crown rocks or peaks. In La Peña Oroel There is another very popular, just like that of The top of Anetowho jumped to the media in 2013 after the Benasque City Council decided to withdraw it to repair it. In 2024 Today Aragon needed That in the mountains there are different types of crosses with a religious or civil value, from indicators of sanctuaries or hermitages to guides for pilgrims, tributes to deceased or … Read more

The mountains needs maintenance, but doing so is expensive. In León they have opted for four -legged firefighters and hooves

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Environmental care does not always require large investments or technologies to the last. Sometimes, you just need controlled grazing to prevent problems in electrical networks. Everything may sound very confusing, but a pioneering project has found a great solution. Short. As the saying would say, it is better to prevent than cure, and so is the Redeia project in the Leonese mountain that uses sheep, cows and horses to control the vegetation under high voltage lines. The “Network Pasture” initiative It has joined eight livestock farmsthrough its subsidiary Red Eléctrica, where more than 3,300 animals distributed in different areas of the province, such as La Robla, Villamanín, Pola de Gordón, La Ercina and Cistierna. Grazing. In the Leonese mountain, the project covers 65 hectares and 28 kilometers of electric lines between Soto-Robla and Velilla-Robla. Grazing, which includes a total of 2,900 sheep, 370 cows and 35 horses, improves local biodiversity and reduces the risk of forest fires. This initiative is a clear example of how traditional livestock practices can contribute to the protection of nature. In depth. “Network grazing” is part of your Comprehensive Impact Strategywhich seeks to generate value in the territories where their infrastructure are present, solving social and environmental problems of the communities. Besides, Its objective is Integrate extensive livestock with electrical infrastructure, using cattle to perform vegetation debrote tasks. This approach not only contributes to solving environmental problems, but also socially through employment creation and support for local farmers. Latest technologies. In this project an innovation has been included and it is the use of drones for livestock management. Not only does it improve the efficiency in livestock management, but also offers new opportunities for the adaptation of livestock to the needs of the 21st century. Previously. The initiative was launched in 2022 in Casares de Arbas (Villamanín), where cattle were started to control the vegetation under 3.5 kilometers of lying, about nine hectares. Since then, the project has grown, extending the grazed surface and increasing the number of participating farmers, with the collaboration of the Agrovidar company to manage the project. According to The data collectedthe grazing areas have registered an improvement in biodiversity that other areas where grazing has not been carried out. This translates into a greater presence of arthropods, butterflies, pollinators and floral units. In addition, cattle have reduced biomass volume and modified the type of vegetation, thus reducing the risk of forest fires. Expansion. The expansion of the initiative is taking shape in several locations in the province of León. It is also planned to be extended in the future with more livestock and more grazed areas, which could further benefit biodiversity and reduce the risk of fire in other areas of the region. Image | Unspash Xataka | Australia compared 1,700 sheep and discovered something unexpected: those that graze between solar panels of better quality wool

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