Excalibur – The Tallest Climbing Wall in the World

In the Netherlands, a country of modest people and humble structures, stands a climbing wall that is anything but. The Excalbur climbing wall at the Klimcentrum Bjoeks Climbing Center in Groningen, the Netherlands, is the world’s tallest climbing wall. Reaching a maximum height of 121ft, this massive climbing wall dwarfs everything around it.

I’ve done a little bit of climbing over the years, and climbing walls a fraction of Excalibur’s height were terrifying for me at first. I can’t even imagine climbing the full height of this wall; I think I would fall from exhaustion long before reaching the top. Unless the various climbs are easy (which I doubt), I’m guessing that Excalibur is designed for climbers with a bit more experience under their belt. That, or monkeys of course… monkeys can climb the shit out of just about anything, including Excalibur. Hell, they wouldn’t even need climbing gear.

Tallest Climbing Wall in the World, Excalibur

From this angle, Excalibur almost looks like an organic, writhing building. The raised platform on the top looks like something you would see at the top of an apartment building, and the two metal pipes look like smoke stacks. Why a building would be rising out of a gigantic litter box, I couldn’t say, but perhaps that’s just how they do it in The Netherlands.

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As he looks down, I bet he’s wondering why the hell he decided to attempt this climb. Perhaps his arms and legs are starting to fatigue, and he’s thinking of simpler things he could have done with his day… such as enjoy the wonderful sights and sounds of Amsterdam.

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Oh my, this close up photo paints and even darker picture. The fellow is lead climbing, with no top rope. If he makes a mistake, he’ll plummet to the clip below, which would be rather unfortunate. Let’s hope he isn’t as tired as I suggested.

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He’s finally done it, or nearly so. Given how high up he is, perhaps a parachute or hang glider is in order? I think that’s a fair way to descent given the amount of work he put in getting to the top. If a person is crazy enough to climb a wall this high, they probably wouldn’t mind a simple parachute ride down.

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If you’re a rock climber with a penchant for extreme heights, you’ll find more information about Excalibur on the Klimcentrum Bjoeks Climbing Center website. It’s completely in Dutch, so you’ll have to use something like Google Translate to make sense of it. I mean, unless you speak Dutch of course.

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Chad

Chad is the co-founder of Unfinished Man, a leading men's lifestyle site. He provides straightforward advice on fashion, tech, and relationships based on his own experiences and product tests. Chad's relaxed flair makes him the site's accessible expert for savvy young professionals seeking trustworthy recommendations on living well.

6 comments on “Excalibur – The Tallest Climbing Wall in the World”

  1. I’m not sure if you already knew this, but I thought I would mention my local rock climbing wall. It’s Upper Limits of Bloomington Ill. The tallest wall is 120 Ft. outdoors, only one foot shorter than this one and it’s in the United States! Not to mention in the winter they convert the 120 footer into a ice climbing wall. It is a converted grain silo and I believe that the 60+ ft indoor walls are the tallest in America for indoor. Here is a link to Outside magazine info about Upper Limits.
    https://rock-gyms.outsideonline.com/l/62/Upper-Limits-Inc-in-Bloomington-Illinois

    Reply
  2. Chad,

    my name is Tim Johnson and I work with http://www.spectrumsports.com. We specialize in climbing walls and mobile climbing walls. I loved this article and honestly, was quite terrified to think about climbing it. Thanks for the post and for putting out a great article!

    Reply
    • Hey Tim, awesome, thanks for checking us out. I’m glad you enjoyed the article. 🙂

      If you had to pick one, what’s the craziest climbing gym, or even outdoor spot, that you’ve seen?

      Reply
  3. Hi Guys. Really sorry but i cannot find the infromation on the main website nor an email to ask them directly. I have a 16 yrs old daughter who has experience of inside and outside bouldering, high ropes and lead climbs and trains with a local club and who competes regionally 🙂 Will she be allowed to climb the wall? thanks!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Reply

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