| Date Built |
The
flaktower was originally constructed
between October 1943 and July 1944 |
| Location |
Esterhazy
Park |
| Description |
|
There are six
World War II flak towers still standing in
various locations around Vienna.
Flakturm L is located in Arenbergpark and
today it is home to Haus des Meeres,
literaly "House of the Sea", an aquarium
housing over ten thousand aquatic beings
in an area of around 4,000 square
meters. According to its Wikipedia
page Haus des Meeres is, "...
managed by Aqua Terra Zoo, a private
non-profit organization which,
according to its web site, receives
only marginal financial support from
municipal authorities. However, the
maintenance costs for the former flak
tower are paid by the taxpayer." "The concrete tower, housing the present-day aquarium, was erected as a fire control flak tower in ten months between October 1943 and July 1944. The tower is 47 meters tall, with a footprint of 31 by 15 meters, and its gross volume, including extensive foundations, reaches 55,000 cubic meters. In 1944 it was crowned with a Würzburg radar dome. In case of imminent air raid threat, the radar could be lowered into a concrete shaft with 3.5-meter thick concrete walls."   The aquarium's website says that, "... 8,500 green plants have been planted on a wall of the former flak tower in automatically irrigated tubs on an area of 400 m2 - up to a height of 35 meters. The hardy plants, some with different colors, will fill the 75-year-old gray concrete wall with life ….. “  |
|
|
Haus des Meeres,
Vienna. Austria
 |
