In 1882, the largest and most modern aquarium in Europe opened its doors. Built on 1,740 wooden foundation piles, it held more than one million litres of water. The Aquarium was immediately hailed as a wonder of the world, attracting visitors from all over Europe. After almost 140 years of salt water, the building was badly damaged. Only a large-scale restoration could preserve this monument for the future. In 2021, the Aquarium closed its doors for a restoration project.