Another ‚MUST SEE“ destination.
Some years ago, during a Berlin visit, we stayed a few nights at the Radisson Blue hotel. A luxury experience right in the center of Berlin. And, except many other attractions of this vibrant city, one highlight is right in the courtyard of the hotel. This unusual attraction is worth a post here in my blog.
The Radisson Blue Hotel next to the Berlin Cathedral.
The incredible AquaDom in Berlin, Germany, is a 25 m (82 ft) tall cylindrical acrylic glass aquarium with built-in transparent elevator. The AquaDom complex also contains a hotel, offices, a restaurant, and the aquarium Sea Life Centre.
The Radisson Blu on the river Spree.
The gigantic AquaDom is located in the Radisson Blu hotel in Berlin and is the largest cylindrical aquarium tank in the world. It contains 1,500 fish of 97 different species and needs to be cleaned three to fours times a day by divers. The tank is part of the Sea Life Centre underneath the hotel that features a walk-through underwater tunnel.
Underneath the hotel, a „Sea Life Park“.
The outside cylinder was manufactured on-site from twelve sets of panels sent from the factory; the inside cylinder for the elevator was installed as one piece after three sections of 5 panels each were bonded together next to the hotel. The Aquadom is the largest (by volume) acrylic cylindrical aquarium in the world, with a diameter of about 11 m (36 ft), and it is built on a 9 m (30 ft) tall foundation. Filled with 1,000,000 l (260,000 US gal) of water, it contains over 1,500 fish of 97 species. The feeding of the fish and the cleaning of the fish tank is performed daily by 3-4 divers.
The AquaDom, beautiful architectural rendering.
If you are a fan of aquariums, here is one which blows all others out of the water. Perhaps the most impressive part of the attraction is that guests can take a lift that runs through the center of the tank, giving them the perfect chance to witness all of the aquarium’s life .
Impressive hotel lobby.
Not only that, but visitors can watch daily feeds at 2pm and see 8kg being served to the AquaDom’s residents. The phenomenal tank was built by the Union Investment Real Estate GmbH and was completed in 2004. The project did not come cheap, and cost a whopping €12.8 million (£9 million). And it is not just the large aquarium which draws marine-lovers to the hotel.
The lobby from the sky bridge.
Under the AquaDom are many other water attractions including a walk-through underwater tunnel and an interactive rock pool.
Amazing lobby bar, have a drink here.
It is operated by the Berlin Society for large aquariums (BGG), the first time awarded the Blue Starfish Award for special merits in the protection of marine fauna in the year of 2009. The most modern standards of sustainability are applied also for the AquaDom where BBG is currently rearing corals in breeding ponds. For a test run the first corals were hanged in a custom built acrylic glass bell with water flow in the aquarium.
Perhaps the most impressive part of the attraction is that guests can take a lift that runs through the center of the tank.
Cleaning the tank is no easy feat however, and needs to be carried out by divers three or four times daily.
Dinner time! Visitors can watch daily feeds at 2pm and see 8kg of food being served to the AquaDom’s residents.
Don’t look down: Visitors stand on the sky bridge leading to the AquaDom inside the lobby of the Radisson Hotel in Berlin.
A palm-sized baby ray can be seen in its Kindergarden Aquarium at AquaDom & Sea Life in Berlin, Germany.
The phenomenal tank was built by the Union Investment Real Estate GmbH and was completed in 2004.
The full experience: Inside the tank is an elevator which offers a panoramic view of colorful shoals that live there.
The acrylic glass container in the Sea Life center allows visitors to travel through the tank which has a thickness of up to 22 cm.
Inside the AquaDom and Sea Life Berlin. The center aims to give a home to a range of marine creatures, from the rescued to the rare.
Baby residents, a palm-sized baby ray can be seen in its ‚Kindergarten Aquarium‘ at AquaDom & Sea Life Berlin.
A common octopus at the AquaDom and Sea Life Berlin. The Octopus Cave exhibition with five different octopus species represented.
German actress Anne Menden poses as a mermaid in an aquarium at AquaDom and Sea Life Berlin as part of a promotion for movie ‚Ariel the little mermaid‘.
The incredible AquaDom and Sea Life Berlin is situated inside the Radisson Blu hotel in the German capital.
Standing at 82 feet high and containing over 1 million litres of water, it is said to be the largest cylindrical tank in the world.
The AquaDom as viewed from a room on the fourth floor of the hotel.
AquaDom in late night color.
Aquadom sea life and corals.
Hopefully you are a bit inspired to visit this, unique in the whole world, aquarium in Berlin Germany. Its just one of the hundred’s of Berlin spots to visit, I know, but it is a very imposing one. You will never forget !! Click on the pics to supersize them !!
