Y-40 Deep Joy, designed by Italian architect Emanuele Boaretto, is open to divers, freedivers and swimmers, and was built as part of the Hotel Millepini Terme in the small Italian town of Montegrotto Terme. At 131 feet (40 meters) deep, it’s been officially recognized as the world’s deepest pool, a record previously held by Belgium’s Nemo 33 swimming pool, which boasts a depth of 113 feet (34.5 meters) and holds 2,400 cubic meters of water. The Y-40 Deep Joy is almost twice as large, with a total volume of 4,300 cubic meters of water. Divers can also explore a shaft measuring 20 feet (6 meters) in diameter that plunges to the pool’s floor, as well as four simulated caves and various platforms for diver training. The pool’s main tank is 33 feet deep (10 meters) and measures 66 by 59 feet (20 by 18 meters). The main tank and the deep-diving shaft have platforms at intervals between 4 feet (1.3 meters) and 39 feet (12 meters) designed for dive-training classes, while the simulated caves provide a practice arena for aspiring cave divers. The water is temperature controlled to 90-93 F (32-34 C), so divers needn’t wear exposure suits. In addition to scuba divers and freedivers, the pool will also host water therapy and fitness groups, as well as underwater photographers and film crews, who will be able to shoot deep-water scenes in relative comfort. [flo_gallery type=”single” name=”y-40″ id=”8673″ ] Those who don’t want to get wet can also appreciate the architectural wonder of Y-40 Deep Joy thanks to a series of underwater viewing panels and a transparent tunnel that runs through the middle of the pool. There are topside touches of ingenuity too, such as a rooftop sunbathing deck where divers can relax after exploring the pool’s depths. Plans are also underway to disguise the building with grass and trees, which will allow it to blend to the surrounding Euganean Hills. While Y-40 has earned its place in the Guinness Book of World Records as the world’s deepest pool, it is not the biggest — that title belongs to Chile’s San Alfonso del Mar resort pool, which measures .62 mile (1 kilometer) from one end to the other. There are several options available to those wishing to explore Y-40 Deep Joy. Access to the pool costs $45 (€35) per person; tickets include equipment rental and a 90-minute stay. A variety of other packages are available, including the use of the pool as part of an overnight stay in the hotel itself. Y-40 Deep Joy is open 365 days a year, and promises those who visit a unique experience and the opportunity to explore a record-breaking architectural achievement unlike any other. For more information, visit http://www.y-40.com/en/
Jessica Macdonald / About Author
Originally from England, I first learned to dive so that I could go cage diving with great whites off Guadalupe Island, Mexico, in 2008. From that first shark encounter onwards, I have been utterly hooked on the underwater world, and particularly on the issue of shark conservation. Whilst studying for my degree in London, I worked at London Aquarium, before going to Mozambique to research whale sharks off Tofo. I completed my PADI Instructor’s course while living in South Africa, and spent nine months teaching and guiding on Aliwal Shoal, where I set up a tiger shark ID project and began writing for the conservation organisation Shark Angels. After a seven month trip teaching around South East Asia, I'm heading back to Africa to explore the incredible dive sites of Tanzania.