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Austria
Haus des Meeres
The "Haus des Meeres" or "House of the Sea" is a public aquarium located in Vienna, Austria. It is housed in one of Vienna’s six Flak towers built during World War II by Nazi Germany. These towers were anti-aircraft gun blockhouses, and the one that now houses the aquarium was completed in 1944. After the war, the towers were too difficult to demolish, so they were repurposed.
The aquarium was opened in 1957 with just a few small fish tanks, but it has significantly grown since then to become one of Vienna’s most popular attractions. Today, it houses over 10,000 aquatic beings in 4,000 square meters of space.
On the exterior, the Haus des Meeres still retains the formidable and austere gray concrete look of a military bunker. It stands as a stark reminder of Vienna's wartime past, with its 47-meter tall structure dominating the city's skyline. The tower's stark exterior contrasts sharply with the vibrant life it houses within.
Inside, the Haus des Meeres offers visitors a chance to explore a wide variety of aquatic habitats. It features a tropical sea section with colorful coral reefs, sharks, and tropical fish. The highlight of this section is a 300,000-liter tank for sharks. There’s also a Mediterranean section, a crocodile park, and an area dedicated to animals from the Austrian waters.
In 2007, a tropical house was added to the aquarium. This ten-story addition is home to free-flying birds and free-roaming monkeys, giving visitors the feeling of being in a rainforest. The tropical house also contains a café that provides stunning panoramic views of Vienna.
Another distinctive feature of the Haus des Meeres is its commitment to education and conservation. The aquarium is actively engaged in breeding endangered species and reintroducing them into their natural habitat.
In conclusion, the Haus des Meeres is a fascinating combination of history and nature. Its exterior is a testament to Vienna's past, whilst its interior is a celebration of the world's aquatic biodiversity.