Hooiberg (Dutch: /ˈɦojbɛrx/ (listenⓘ)) is a distinctively shaped, 165 m (541 ft) conical hill located at the heart of the island of Aruba.
This geological formation is a prominent and recognizable landmark that has long captured the attention of locals and visitors alike—Hooiberg is Aruba's centerpiece.
The Dutch gave it their own name, and the spelling of Hooiberg has changed over time, appearing as Hooy berg and Hooij-berg.
[9] The hill is said to resemble a loose haystack or a hay barrack (Dutch barn), which explains the name Hooiberg.
In this area numerous pillow-structures consisting of large-rounded diorite blocks are found, namely Casibari and Ayo rock formations.
In modern times, the hill has been utilized for different purposes, such as hosting radio and television masts and a navigation light.
[2] The result is a remarkable feat of engineering that has become a popular attraction of approximately 587 (2022) steps and has undergone multiple reconstructions and upkeep.
The upper right quadrant, positioned next to the Aloe vera, depicts Hooiberg in green, representing Aruba rising from the barry (blazon: patterns of horizontal stripes of altering color) wavy sea.
Hooiberg is part of a triangle of peaks, including Seroe Biento and Cero Canashito that form a watershed area at their base.
[32] Hooiberg's favorable condition made it suitable for agriculture, unlike most parts of the island, including Jamanota, which were generally unreliable for cultivation.
[32] Since the arrival of Spanish colonization, the landscape in Aruba underwent fundamental changes, including deforestation and the introduction of free-roaming herds that graze on the land.
The deforestation of dyewood (Haematoxylum brasiletto) a century earlier may have contributed to the liming (calcium-rich soil), provided the ideal conditions for aloe to thrive.
[38] While Rudy Carti holds the record for ascending the Hooiberg fifty times within seventeen hours since 1991, it is important to acknowledge the harm he caused others.
[41] In 2017, Ricardo Croes, an Aruban politician, climbed Hooiberg twenty-one times in six hours to raise funds for charitable causes, such as the children's home "Casa Cuna" and the "Pasadia Briyo di Solo" foundation for the cognitively disabled in Aruba.