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The Prater is Vienna's most popular
fun fair. Enjoy a great view over Vienna from the giant Ferris
wheel, or do some sports and relax in an expansive area of
parks, forest land and fields.
The Prater is situated near the city centre and is ideal for
walking, cycling, jogging or just lying in the grass after
an exhausting sightseeing tour of Vienna. Furthermore one
can find major facilities for sports and recreation, such
as the Krieau harness racing track, the Prater Stadium
(soccer and track-and-field), the Stadionbad, a public swimming
pool, the Freudenau flat racing track and the Pleasure
Pavillion (Lusthaus) in the Prater.
Two further attractions in the Prater are the Vienna Wurschtlprater,
a fun fair with the Giant Ferris Wheel (Riesenrad),
where one can enjoy a terrific view over Vienna from 200 feet
altitude and the Lilliputian Railroad (Liliputbahn),
a 2.6 mile amusement park line on a auge of old steam locomotives,
providing transportation to the Trade Fair grounds and to
the Stadium.
The
Giant Ferris Wheel (Riesenrad) was erected in 1897
to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the reign of Empereror
Franz Joseph I. The wheel itself spans 200 feet (about 60
m.). 15 cabins and the upholding structure weigh a total of
430,5 t and rotate at the speed of 0,65 m/sec.
In 1914 the Giant Ferris Wheel was the location of a sensational
film stunt: Madame Solange d'Atalide managed to complete one
round on horseback on top of one of the cabins. This would
not be the only time that the 'Riesenrad' was featured in
major films: The Third Man or Before Sunrise to
name just a few.
In 1944, at the height
of World War II, the Giant Ferris Wheel burnt down, but was
rebuilt in 1945 - at the same time as St.
Stephen's cathedral. The Viennese Riesenrad is the only
giant ferris wheel of its time which is still in use today.
Prater A-1020
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