Ithaa
Ithaa ( Dhivehi for ' mother of pearl ') is a restaurant at the Conrad (Hilton) Resort on Conrad Maldives Rangali Island in the Alif Dhaal Atoll in the Republic of Maldives , located at a depth of 5 meters (16 feet) below the surface of the Indian Ocean . The glazing of the entire upper half offers the visitor a panoramic view of 180 °.
It is a typical example of an underwater station that can be reached via a corridor. As a result, the pressure inside the system is the same as on the water surface, so visitors are not exposed to any pressure differences.
construction
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The company MJ Murphy Ltd. from New Zealand began planning the system in March 2004 and shortly afterwards it was decided to have it completely manufactured in Singapore. The construction provided for a 5-meter-wide arch made of acrylic glass, as it had previously been used in the National Science Center Aquarium in Kuala Lumpur .
Although the location is located within a protected lagoon, adversities such as tidal lifts , waves, pressure changes during lowering and changes in the water level due to global warming were taken into account.
Between July and October 2004, the steel structure was manufactured and painted in Singapore, concrete weights added, the acrylic arches attached and sealed with silicone, and cables for air conditioning and electricity added, while four steel pipes were driven into the seabed on Rangali Island . After the 16-day transport of the 175-ton construction to the Maldives, lowering began on November 19, 2004. For this purpose, 50 helpers loaded an additional 85 tons of sand-filled sacks into the restaurant. After positioning on the steel pipes, these were filled with concrete. The opening took place on April 15, 2005.
At its final position, 8 meters above the sea floor, the highest point of the system is 1 meter at low tide and 2 meters at high tide. It is 9 meters long and 5 meters wide. Ithaa can be reached via a footbridge, at the end of which a pavilion houses the stairway access. It cost $ 5 million (US) to produce.
Earthquake on December 26, 2004
The earthquake in the Indian Ocean and the following tsunami caused a stir . Although the construction would withstand the wave without any problems, there was a risk that the water would rise above the level of the entrance, flow into the system and flood it. In that case, the ballast would have had to be removed from dry sand, which in turn would have led to problems on the steel pipes due to the large buoyancy. The water reached its highest level, however, 30 cm below the entrance, so that the interior and the sand ballast remained dry.
Gastronomy concept
Ithaa houses an upper class restaurant for 14 people. Last but not least, the unusual shape of the facility enabled it to be marketed at appropriate prices. In 2014, in addition to a morning cocktail reception, lunch with a four-course menu at a price of US $ 195 and a dinner with a six-course menu at a price of US $ 320 per person were offered. Visitors are instructed to appear barefoot. Due to the high levels of sunlight, guests are advised to wear sunglasses, which can also be borrowed from the restaurant.
For the fifth anniversary it was possible for hotel guests in April 2010 to rent Ithaa for one night.
Awards
In 2014, Ithaa was voted the most beautiful restaurant in the world by the New York Daily News .
See also
- Red Sea Star , underwater restaurant in Eilat / Israel
Web links
- 360 ° panorama picture of the interior
Individual evidence
- ^ Conrad Hotels: Ithaa Undersea Restaurant. Retrieved March 10, 2017 (English).
- ↑ a b M.J. Murphy Ltd .: Undersea Restaurants. Retrieved March 10, 2017 (English).
- ↑ a b Conrad Maldives Rangali Island: Ithaa Undersea Restaurant. January 2014, accessed March 11, 2017 .
- ↑ Interesting Engineering: Dine in luxury and beauty ... May 9, 2014, accessed on March 11, 2017 .
- ↑ AFP Relaxnews: NY Daily News: Gorgeous gourmet eateries - The world's 10 most beautiful restaurants. March 12, 2014, accessed March 10, 2017 .