The aquarium Center for Marine Research (CMR) of the Ruđer Bošković Institute in Rovinj is celebrating its 129th birthday.
On May 10, 1891, the Zoological Station of the Berlin Aquarium (Zoologische Station des Berliner Acquariums, Rovigno d’Istria), as it was then called, was ceremoniously opened in Rovinj.
Rovinj was chosen as the location because of three factors: 1) the exceptional purity of the sea, 2) the fantastic diversity of flora and fauna in a relatively small area of shallow sea, and 3) the very good railway connections Rovinj had with Trieste, Berlin and many European capitals.
The station officially changed its name to Rovinj Aquarium six decades ago. It represents the local species of the Rovinj marine life - eels and crabs to starfish.
The Rovinj Aquarium is not only the oldest aquarium in the Mediterranean, but one of the oldest in the world.
