The €16m Qawra aquarium has been featured on WebEcoist, a leading international website promoting environmental matters, green innovation and inspirational natural wonders, before work on the project has even been concluded.

Listed under WebEcoist’s ‘7 Wonders series’, Malta’s new attraction is listed among the world’s leading aquariums, such as the Waikiki Aquarium in Honolulu, Hawaii – founded in 1904 – and the third oldest public aquarium in the United States, and Shanghai’s $55 million Ocean Aquarium which plays host to an enormous Oranda goldfish measuring over 17 inches from end to end.

WebEcoist is popular for the stunning nature photography it features along with in-depth articles covering many different topics: from art, design and technology to daily green living and environmental exploration. 

Work on the popular tourist area’s latest attraction, is due to be finished sometime next month, and the aquarium will soon be home to an exciting collection of sharks and stingrays, among other species of marine life.

Initially, work was due for completion by the end of this month but a few technical problems have delayed the process.

The underground aquarium will have around 26 tanks on display, containing Mediterranean fish along with replicas of historical artefacts found in the seas that surround us. A square is being built as an extension to the promenade.

The iconic building was designed by local architects but the structure was built in Sicily and is made from recycled wood imported from Austria.

A team of experts from New Zealand was assigned the job of setting up the aquarium. The contractor handling the project is Salvu Ellul after a tender was issued by the Malta Tourism Authority.

The project is partly financed by the EU and is a public-private partnership.