The
Aquarium in Rijeka
Biological diversity is among key criteria for determining the abundance
of life forms and the value of the natural heritage of an area. It is
defined as diversity of organisms in time and space. In the sea it is
reflected in the abundance of living communities (biocenoses), and the
number of floral and faunal species. The benthic biocenoses of the Adriatic
have a clearly Mediterranean character, which is only natural considering
the interrelatedness of the entire Mediterranean area. These biocenoses
also have some specific characteristics that have developed during the
geological history of the Adriatic, and are still developing under the
influence of various factors, such as the relative isolation of the sea
and ecological conditions. The Adriatic is one of the most researched
seas. Scientific research of its depths dates back into the 18th century
discovering about 8000 kinds of fish and the invertebrates. Some competent
estimates suggest the existence of 4000 more species. Northern Adriatic
is, with it geomorphologic characteristics and specific abiotic conditions,
the center of formation of endemic species, and the area containing rare
and endangered Mediterranean communities of coraligen, photophilic algae
and marine flowering plants.
The
species in the biological communities are interdependent. The extinction
of only one species can lead to a degradation of the entire community.
Preserving biological diversity is a prerequisite of harmonious functioning
of nature.
The Aquarium, the multimedia display of the Natural History Museum in
Rijeka gives you a chance to dive in and discover the wealth and beauty
hiding below the sea surface. It also informs you about the need to preserve
and protect the submarine world. Given is the biocenoses overview from
the most shallow part of the mediolittoral zone to the blue depths of
the circalittoral. The pools are the copies of parts of sea bed with submarine
world characteristic for the depths they represent. The Aquarium offers
the experience of sea depths through underwater photography, sounds of
the ocean, the movie and interactive research of over 300 species of marine
flora and fauna. In the most concrete way it teaches those interested
in it, about the secret life of the fish, invertebrates, algae and marine
flowering plants.
The
display builds on the idea dating back to 1867 when J. R. Lorenz presented
Giovanni de Ciotti, the Mayor of Rijeka, with a design of the Natural
History Museum in Rijeka. An aquarium open to the public was envisaged
within the Museum. The idea came to life in 1884 when the Governo marittimo
palace, designed by architects Zamboni and Hubert, (today the Port Authority
building) was built. In its left wing on the ground floor the Hungarian
Biological Fishing Station in Rijeka, headed by Viktor de Gauss Garady,
established a museum and an aquarium with 36 pools with marine animals
and other exhibits, as well as a laboratory. Viktor de Gauss Garrady was
a professor at the Nautical Academy, active in the field of fishing industry,
particularly the biology of shrimps. The museum and the aquarium operated
in that building until 1918. In 1904 near Bagno-Furdo-Ilona in koljić,
Edoardo Castiane's aquarium was constructed and opened for public, with
6 pools with fresh, and 12 with salt water. Along with Rijeka, which was
Hungarian at the time, the development of the aquariums intensified in
the Austrian part of the coast, in Rovinj and Opatija, where together
with the Erzherog Ludwig Victor Bad and the Stephanie Hotel the Opatija,
an aquarium was built in 1911. The Opatija Aquarium was built by the Aquarium
Verein Abbazia society. The building was designed by professor P. Veesenmayer
who was the Aquarium manager. After World War II, namely in 1947, Mario
Rossi opened an aquarium in the Natural History Museum in Rijeka. In 1953
the Aquarium had 17 fresh water pools with 160 fish and amphibians, and
12 marine pools with 195 species of fish and crabs. The aquarium was the
only one in the country open to the public. In late 1950s the idea was
entertained of building a big Adriatic Aquarium at Delta. The Fishing
station in Rijeka commissioned engineers Kolacio and Sila to design the
building. The Ministry of Culture of the Socialist Republic of Croatia
proclaimed the construction of the Adriatic Aquarium to be one of the
four institutions of interest to the city. The second design for the Aquarium
at Delta was drawn up in the Vincek Architectural firm, Zagreb, the investor
was to be Stari grad municipality. In 1962 in the Natural History Museum
a high school practicum with two aquariums with fresh and salt water was
opened for public. The third preliminary design of the big aquarium at
Delta dates back to 1964. It was commissioned by the Fishing station and
the Natural History Museum in Rijeka. The long list of projects not realized
leads us to 2001 when the Natural History Museum in Rijeka, as a part
of the Multimedia Aquarium Display, selected by Marin Kirinčić, designed
by architect Boris Cima, put up for display 3 big biocenological
aquariums to point to the need of building a representative marine aquarium
in the city that, considering its administrative, traffic, cultural and
tourist importance, surely deserves such an aquarium.
We
believe that all lovers of the depths of the sea will enjoy the display,
hoping that those who have yet to grow to love them, will upon the visit
to the Museum.
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