Fascinating Worlds: Discover the Largest Aquariums

Berlin was once home to one of the largest aquariums in the world: The Aquadom in the Radisson Blue Hotel is now history after an incident and will not be rebuilt. However, there are still some record-breaking aquariums in other countries.

The disaster occurred in the middle of the night, suddenly and without warning, when the cylindricalBerlin Aquarium Aquadom on December 16, 2022. With it, Berlin lost not only 1,500 fish but also the largest free-standing aquarium in the world. A rebuild is ruled out, as stated by Fabian Hellbusch, spokesperson for the property owner, in May 2023.

Distributed throughout the world, there are still some other aquariums that break records and impress tourists with their dimensions and biodiversity-we introduce you to the largest of them.

At the Marine Life Parkin Sentosa, Singapore, once stood the largest aquarium in the world, until it was overtaken by the Chimelong Ocean Kingdom. The park's S.E.A. Aquarium holds 45 million liters of water, housing around 100,000 animals from over 800 species.

The huge viewing panel of the so-called Open Ocean Tank is designed to give visitors the feeling of standing on the ocean floor. The Marine Life Park includes zebra sharks, hammerhead sharks, and dolphins among others.

The Seas with Nemo and Friends is part of the World Disney Resort in Florida and holds over 21 million liters of water. Clownfish and sharks live in the massive saltwater tank. The aquarium is inspired by the popular movie 'Finding Nemo'.

However, it leaves a bit of a bitter taste as the film is about sea creatures being held captive in an aquarium and wanting to escape.

The Chimelong Ocean Kingdom holds several world records. The tanks of the Chinese aquarium hold a total of over 48 million liters of water, with the largest tank alone holding nearly 23 million liters. Whale sharks live here.

The aquarium also has the world's largest aquarium window and the largest transparent underwater dome with a diameter of twelve meters.

Sea Life aquariums can be found all around the world. The location in Sydney is among the largest. More than 13,000 marine creatures are housed here. Over 700 species can be viewed up close by visitors.

The aquarium specializes in Australian fauna, hosting dugongs, leopard rays, and various shark species. The residents are distributed across 14 themed areas.

In Europe, aside from the former Aquadom in Berlin, there are other notable aquariums. One is in Spanish Valencia: the Oceanogràfic. It's the third largest of its kind and holds around 42 million liters of water. Over 45,000 creatures from around 500 species live here.

The aquarium is dedicated to various thematic worlds, including the Mediterranean and the tropics. Even bull sharks and sunfish can be seen in the glass tanks.

The Shedd Aquariumin Chicago may be comparatively smaller than other aquariums but still ranks among the largest in the world. 8,000 animals from around 650 species live here in nearly 19 million liters of water.

It is not only one of the largest but also one of the oldest aquariums in the world, built in 1929 as a gift from John G. Shedd to the city of Chicago, hence the name. Visitors can view real dolphins and belugas here.

The Moskvarium in Moscow is also one of the world's largest aquariums. Since 2015, around 12,000 different marine creatures, including orcas, have lived here.

Here, 25 million liters of water are distributed across 80 tanks.

The Den Blå Planet Aquarium in the Danish capital Copenhagen is not only a visual stunner but also ranks among the world's largest aquariums. However, the figures are not as extreme as other aquariums: About seven million liters of water are contained within the tanks.

The aquarium features five major sections, covering themes like the rainforest and cold water. In the warm ocean section, there's also a shark tunnel, allowing visitors to walk virtually through the aquarium.

When it comes to superlatives, Dubai cannot be left out. The city in the desert has a massive aquarium to offer: the Aquarium & Underwater Zoo. It features a water tank holding ten million liters of water.

A total of around 33,000 marine animals live here, and the aquarium has the largest collection of sand tiger sharks. Additionally, it measures 11 meters in height, 51 meters in length, and 20 meters in height, making it one of the largest suspended aquariums in the world. Naturally, it is located in the largest shopping mall in the world, The Dubai Mall.

The Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta, USA, holds almost 40 million liters. Over 31,000 square meters, it houses around 100,000 animals from about 500 different species. Visitors can admire manta rays, belugas, and whale sharks up close.