The Vienna Prater: A Curious Amusement Park
The Prater, or rather the Great Ferris Wheel of the Prater , is one of the most iconic images of Vienna. And it must be borne in mind that if there is a European capital that is photogenic, that is the elegant Vienna. In other words, if one travels to the Austrian capital, it seems obliged to spend an afternoon, a morning or the whole day in the Prater, one of the oldest amusement parks in the world.
The antiquity of the Prater
The Prater or Wurstelprater, as the amusement park is actually called, is considered the second oldest amusement park in the world, only behind Bakken, located in Denmark.
For such an award it is taken into account that in the year 1766 the Emperor Joseph II made this entire area open to the public, and even allowed there to be establishments selling coffee here.
Those were the beginnings of the future amusement park, which as such was inaugurated in 1895. And just two years later its most famous attraction was filming: the Big Wheel, which still stands today.
The Ferris wheel of the Prater and other ancient attractions
It is not the largest Ferris wheel on the planet, it may not be the most beautiful, it does not even provide breathtaking views. And yet, there are few Ferris wheels in the world as charismatic as this one.
A tip for moviegoers: if you visit Vienna you have to go to the Ferris wheel in the Prater and first, if you can, you should see one of the great performances of Orson Welles, The Third Man , since the whole city was the set of that film and especially the Prater. Without a doubt you will like the site much more.
However, the Ferris wheel is not the only witness to other times, since some merry-go-rounds, the halls of mirrors and laughter, the ghost train or the roller coaster are also historical, not to mention the Lilliput train, ideal for the kids.
To give you an idea of the appeal of this historical complex, consider that the season in the Viennese Prater runs from spring to October and, however, it is possible to climb the Big Wheel any day of the year.
The Prater resisting the passage of history
The famous Ferris wheel has even withstood the two world wars, although it is true that during World War I it did not work for two years.
More serious was the bombardment that at the end of 1945 suffered the park and that damaged a large part of the Ferris wheel. Although it was rebuilt quickly, as a good symbol it is. The cabins that were not recovered today can be visited right there, at the foot of the Ferris wheel, as an exhibition space to show the history of the city and the country.
Where is the Prater?
One of the great advantages of this corner of Vienna is that it is in the very center of the great capital of Austria. In particular, it is in the Leopoldstadt neighborhood , yet the Prater and the neighboring impressive green area of Stadtpark make the traveler feel like they have traveled hundreds of kilometers from the big city.
This entire garden area, of course, has undergone many changes throughout its history, but it still preserves the reasons that made it a place of recreation for the Viennese centuries ago and today.
In fact, there was a hunting ground here. Even with the amusement park already open, hunting was allowed in the area, something that was not definitively prohibited until 1920.
Today, the Prater is an indispensable recreational place in Vienna and a stop for many nostalgic travelers who want to know one of the most charming places in the city.
