Tomorrow, on 22 April, 2005, BTC will finally open the door of Atlantis Water City. This SIT 6.2 billion project is the biggest investment of BTC in 51 years since its establishment. Atlantis is known to be among the largest indoor waterparks in Europe. It features three theme parks: World of Excitement with children’s section, Thermal Temple and Sauna Land. The author of the project is Dr Rudolf Wienands, a renown professor at the Munich University. In a team with Slovene architects he designed a unique complex of dynamic architecture and with a variety of offerings. Atlantis, which created 90 new jobs, is a major acquisition not only for Ljubljana but for entire Slovenia, as it will attract visitors and tourists who seek quality leisure time, entertainment and relaxation. With the opening of Atlantis, BTC became the largest business, shopping, recreational, entertainment and cultural centre of its kind in Europe, every year visited by over 18 million people. To provide for sufficient parking, last year BTC built a 780-vehicle multi-storage garage, available to the visitors of Atlantis free of charge.
Atlantis is a waterpark, which offers a variety of features to all generations – to those who go in for adrenaline entertainment as well as those seeking relaxation. It is situated in a natural atrium in a two-storey glass hall of dynamic design. The total land surface of Atlantis is 20,000 m2, including saunas, outdoor areas and pools. The indoor surface area of the hall is 15,000 m2. Atlantis boast as many as 14 different outdoor and indoor pools, of which 6 big ones, 6 special purpose pools and 2 children pools. Total water surface area is 1,800 m2. According to their tastes and needs visitors may choose among three different, yet interconnected, theme areas: World of Excitement with children’s section, Thermal Temple and Sauna Land. Each theme area tells its own stories against a wonderful mixture of artificial and natural light and elements, such as natural stone indoors and outdoors, tropical vegetation and even constructions made of over 100-year-old wood.
The World of Excitement is the peak of adrenaline entertainment in Atlantis. Visitors can have fun in a wave pool with a lagoon and an atoll in the centre, an excitement pool with directed water flow, lazy river, quick river, underwater cave, three geysers, massage jet nozzles, air seats and beds, two whirlpools and underwater lights. Moreover, on an island in the middle of the Pool of Excitement they will find an oasis of rest and relaxation. There are two 140 m European style water slides offering adrenaline entertainment. One is named Black Hole and the other Ring Slide. The outdoor recreational pool is connected with indoor pools and it features many water delights, such as three geysers, massage jet nozzles, air seats and beds, two waterfalls, two flows for swimming against the stream as well as underwater lights. On top of that there are two whirlpools with massage jet nozzles, air seats and underwater light effects.
The children’s section is a more playful area, where even the youngest can have fun and learn. It includes two pools, a 15 m children-tailored water slide, a water snake and many other water play features.
The Thermal Temple is the most tranquil part of Atlantis. Designed as an indoor garden with a glass facade, an indoor and outdoor thermal pool, numerous water effects, geysers, massage jet nozzles, air seats and beds, waterfalls, flows for swimming against the stream as well as underwater lights. On top of that there are three cascading water baths (three pools on different levels with salty water spilling between), a panoramic terrace and massage areas.
The Sauna Land is located in the outdoor atrium and a hall. It includes 11 theme saunas, where even the most demanding of visitors will find perfect relaxation.
Outdoor saunas are situated in interconnected constructions resembling chalets, cabins, panoramic lodges and mine huts, all made of special 100-year-old polar “Kelo” wood.
In indoor saunas visitors may indulge in eucalyptus, laconium, Finnish, mud, sanarium, great Finnish and steam saunas and then plunge into cool water or relax by a quite pool.
The accompanying programmes and services, such as Thai massage, solariums, varied bars and restaurants in all three theme areas, a hair salon, shops selling diving equipment and bathing accessories as well as special animations make Atlantis Water City a modern European waterpark in terms of architecture and the variety of its offerings.
Atlantis is likely to change the entire urban image of the SE of BTC City and as a complex it is a great pride of not only the main contractor, SCT Ljubljana, but also numerous Slovene and foreign sub-contractors who built it together.
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For more information contact: BTC, Marketing Communications and Public Relations Department – Mrs. Maja Oven, tel.: + 386 1 585 13 19, e-mail: maja.oven@btc.s
