Viennese Giant Ferris Wheel

One of Vienna’s trademark sights is the Riesenrad or giant Ferris wheel located at the start of the Prater amusement park. This location comes near the top of the “iconic experience” category for Vienna. Partly because of the impressive giant metal construction and history, but also because of the celebrity status the wheel acquired from its movie appearances.

The original Ferris wheel opened to the public on July 3rd, 1897, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the reign of Emperor Franz Joseph. A crowd of thousands watched the official guests take a trip, and newspaper reports spoke warmly of the excellent views and comfortable ride. Though one journalist did mention the pain of queueing. Plus ça change. Designer Walter Basset (an Englishman) had already honed his engineering skills building a Ferris wheel in London before working on the Viennese version.

Unfortunately, Basset’s remarkable construction failed to escape WWII intact. The Riesenrad burnt down in 1944 but was soon rebuilt and returned to operation in 1947, albeit with fewer wagons. The whole structure weighs over 430 tonnes and has a diameter of just under 61 meters or exactly 200 feet (a relic of the original English design!). It turns slowly, but surely, at a pace of 2.7 km/h (2 mph).

Vienna has taller places to get a view over the city and the adjacent Wurstelprater entertainment complex offers more thrilling rides. But it’s all about the experience with the Riesenrad, the stamp in your imaginary book of iconic moments, and the knowledge you’re following in the footsteps of history. The wheel also has a special place in Viennese and visitor hearts thanks to its star turn in various much-loved movies and TV series, most notably The Third Man with Orson Welles and Joseph Cotten but also Before Sunrise with Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy.

https://www.visitingvienna.com/sights/riesenrad/

Photo: David Monniaux