FX.co ★ Mind-boggling underwater attractions

Neptune Memorial Reef, US

Originally, the reef was meant to have become the prototype of the Lost City of Atlantis. However, the creators changed their minds at the initial stage of the project. Instead, they decided to build the world's first underwater columbarium. The columbarium is the resting place for the cremated remains. However, it differs from the traditional columbarium. Cremated ashes are stored in a heavy vault but not in urns. It is located near the coast of Florida, covering an area of more than 4,000 square kilometers. This is the largest man-made underwater structure and artificial reef to ever exist. Dozens of majestic sculptures and columns are installed there.

Underwater City Shi Chen, China

The City of Shi Chen was founded almost 1,500 years ago. In the middle of the last century, it was intentionally flooded to create an artificial lake and hydroelectric power station. However, driven by curiosity, scuba divers made the first attempt to inspect the underwater ruins. Since then, Shi Chang has become a popular tourist attraction. In the early 2000s, it turned into a mecca for divers. Every year, many underwater tourists descend to a 28-meter depth to see the ancient city and its unique architectural objects.

Neptune and Seven Sons, Denmark

Many tourists deem the Little Mermaid statue, the heroine of Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tale, to be the main attraction of Copenhagen. However, a few people know that this is not the only marine-themed sculpture. In the heart of the city, there is another underwater statue - Neptune and Seven Sons - situated in one of the channels. It is based on an ancient legend, which once inspired the Danish storyteller. Thus, this sculpture is another interpretation of the well-known legend about the love of a sea dweller and a human.

Yonaguni Monument, Japan

Almost 40 years ago, divers discovered unique underwater rock structures resembling pyramids near the coast of Yonaguni Island. Scientists have not come to a consensus about the origin of this unusual object. While some experts believe that these are man-made stepped monoliths, others argue that it was naturally created. No matter what the truth is, the Yonaguni Monument is very popular with underwater tourists from all over the world today.

Ocean Atlas, Bahamas

Ocean Atlas sits in the Bahamas. It is officially recognized as the world's largest underwater sculpture. It weighs about 60 tonnes and is almost 6 meters tall. The artwork depicts a local Bahamian girl carrying the weight of the ocean above. It also symbolizes the collective responsibility of all people who should make an effort to prevent devastating environmental consequences. The sculpture was engineered by British architect Jason Taylor, who created the first underwater sculpture park in Grenada, as well as the first underwater museum MUSA in the Caribbean.

MUSA Underwater Museum of Art, Mexico

Nowadays, this museum is considered the main attraction of the Caribbean coast of Mexico. It was built by British sculptor Jason Taylor near the resort town of Cancun in 2010. Its collection of underwater sculptures has been gradually expanding since that time. It features over 500 permanent life-size sculptures created by different artists. Near 750,000 tourists visit it annually, an absolute record among all underwater objects.

Christ of Abyss, Italy

Christ of the Abyss was placed in the waters of the Ligurian Riviera in 1954. Cast in solid bronze, the 2.5m high statue was created by Guido Galletti, who was inspired by Italian diving instructor Duilio Marcante. The latter wanted to perpetuate the memory of his colleague who died at this place a few years earlier. Over time, the monument depicting Christ with his arms lifted in an invoking gesture became a symbol of divers around the world. Today, exact copies of this sculpture are located in different parts of the world.