Everybody loves a good world record. It was originally popularized by the Guinness Book, and the whole world has bought in. People are always striving to reach new extremes in everything from juggling to building skyscrapers. In this case, we’re about to see a pool that’s unprecedented.
Pools come in all shapes and sizes.
From above- and below-ground pools in backyards to swank rooftop infinity pools to chlorine-scented community pools, there’s a wide variety of swimming options out there for those who don’t live near a body of water.
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Some pools are pretty extreme.
Take the one at the San Alfonso del Mar resort in Algarrobo, Chile, for instance. This gigantic pool is over a kilometre long and contains a quarter-billion gallons of water.
Some aren’t big, but deep.
The Nemo 33 facility in Brussels, Belgium, opened in 2004 as the deepest indoor swimming pool in the world, reaching a maximum depth of 113 feet — deep enough that things are noticeably dark.
It’s a surprisingly competitive area.
Nemo 33 may have been the deepest pool in the world when it opened, but in 2005 it was overtaken by the Y-40 pool in Italy, which reaches 131 feet (and has an awesome enclosed walkway within it).
There’s about to be a new sheriff in town.
The pool in Italy won’t hold the record for long, as work is underway in the hard-to-pronounce town of Mszczonów, Poland. The pool, called Deepspot, is going up (or down) along one of the town’s main thoroughfares, seen above.
It required a lot of digging.
Construction has been underway for some time on the epic pool, which will be open to the general public. The pool, which is part of a larger complex, is set to open this fall.
It’ll be a real attraction.
In addition to the record-setting pool, DeepSpot will also include amenities like a conference center, hotel rooms and restaurants, all looking over the pool. The pool itself also has some cool features, which we’ll get to later.
Deep into the earth they dug…
When it opens, DeepSpot will be an impressive 148 feet deep. That’ll be the equivalent of diving from the top of a 14 or 15-floor building all the way to the bottom.
The concept art looks awesome.
We’ll see how it actually winds up looking, but the mockups posted on DeepSpot’s Facebook page look pretty enticing. While the deep pool will appeal to scuba divers, there’s plenty to like for casual swimmers as well.
Here’s a cross-section.
It’s a multi-layered pool, with a large area at surface level for casual swimmers. From there, a series of entryways allow access to deeper depths. Then there’s the terrifyingly deep diving pit.
It’ll be deep enough for any cannonball.
The massive pool will require a massive amount of water: well over two million U.S. gallons. That’s enough to fill 27 standard 82-foot-long swimming pools.
The underwater passageway looks awesome.
It isn’t the first, as the pool in Italy also includes this feature. Still, it provides an awesome focal point, along with a way for people to enjoy the pool while staying dry.
They’re all set to go.
With about half a year until its scheduled opening, it’s crunch time for Deepspot, which promises to bring valuable tourist dollars to the local economy. Mszczonów isn’t far from the Polish capital of Warsaw.
It looks awesome…but…
Unfortunately for Deepspot, it’ll only be able to be a record holder for a short time. The Blue Abyss in Colchester, U.K., is set to open about six months later — and it’ll be 16 feet deeper.
It’s a fascinating world.
While some of these pools are tourist attractions, the field of deep pools is integral for research on extreme environments like space.
You can follow the construction progress of Deepspot on Facebook .
