Den Bla Planet, National Aquarium Denmark

Northern Europe'S Largest Aquarium, Opened In 2013 In A Whirlpool Shaped Building On The Oresund Shore, With A Large Ocean Tank And Hammerhead Sharks · Kastrup, Capital Region of Denmark

Den Bla Planet (The Blue Planet) is Denmark's National Aquarium, opened in 2013 on the Oresund shore at Kastrup, just north of Copenhagen Airport. It replaced the old Danmarks Akvarium in Charlottenlund and is often described as the largest aquarium in Northern Europe. The building, by the Danish architects 3XN, is shaped like a whirlpool seen from above: shining silver arms spiral out from a central foyer into themed zones for the Amazon rainforest, African lakes, coral reefs, cold northern waters and the open ocean. The centrepiece is a huge ocean tank, said to hold around 4 million litres, where hammerhead sharks, rays and shoals circle past a wide panoramic window. People come for a rewarding few hours with children, a rainy-day plan and the striking architecture, all a short metro ride from central Copenhagen. The honest caveat: tickets are expensive by aquarium standards, the halls are dark and crowded on wet weekends and school holidays, and it takes three hours, not a whole day.

Den Bla Planet, Jacob Fortlingsvej, Kastrup, by the Oresund near Copenhagen Airport, Kastrup, Capital Region of Denmark, Denmark

The aquarium is open every day of the year apart from a few holidays, usually from mid-morning to late afternoon, with longer hours in summer and school holidays and sometimes a late evening opening - check the current schedule. Take metro line M2 towards the airport and get off at Kastrup station, roughly 15 minutes from Kongens Nytorv, then walk about 5-10 minutes towards the sea. By car it is roughly 20 minutes from the centre, with paid parking beside the building. Buy timed tickets online for weekends and holidays; weekday walk-ups are usually fine.

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