The Eden Project is a project conceived by Tim Smit to construct and maintain a large-scale environmental complex on a property located about 8 km (5 mi) from St Austell in Bodelva, Cornwall, UK.

Although relatively new, the project has quickly become one of the most popular visitor attractions in the United Kingdom.

The complex includes two giant, transparent domes, each emulating a natural biome, that house plant species from around the world.

The first emulates a tropical environment, the other a warm temperate, Mediterranean-type environment.

The project took two and a half years to construct and opened to the public in March 2001.

The project is ongoing, and part of its purpose is to see how the different biomes develop over time.

For more information:

www.edenproject.com

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eden_Project