The Maeslant barrier, known as the Maeslantkering, which protects the port of Rotterdam in the Netherlands was closed for the first time on November 8th and succeeded in protecting the port from flooding. The walls of the barrier took half an hour to close off the 1000-foot-wide channel it guards, and all traffic into the port was halted.

The Maeslantkering was built in 1997 and cost $700 million. Its walls are so heavy that they alone weigh quadruple what the Eiffel Tower does, and the 35-foot-in-diameter steel ball joints holding them weigh 680 tons. Check out the shots below, and click through for a fly-over of the barrier set to goofy music.

deputydog, via TechEBlog