Overview:

The Giant Ferris Wheel in Vienna, Austria is one of the largest in Europe and has been drawing attention since 1897. It stands 65m (213ft) high and affords stunning views of the skyline of Austria's capital. Inside the 28 cabins, visitors can enjoy a breathtaking view of Vienna and its surroundings as they travel around at a speed of up to 1.4 metres per second. The Ferris Wheel is renowned for its rich decoration and splendour in terms of lighting and conductors in period costume. It has become a popular landmark of Vienna and stands prominently amidst a cluster of buildings and parks. It is one of the most beautiful monuments in Austria
Prominent Features:

The most prominent feature of the Giant Ferris Wheel in Vienna, Austria is its size. Standing at a towering height of 165 feet, it is one of the tallest Ferris Wheels in the world. It has a unique “star shape”, which makes it stand out from other traditional Ferris Wheel designs. The wheel has 36 gondolas each with capacity to accommodate up to six people. Contrary to other Ferris Wheels, open and divided compartments replace the traditional ways of the gondolas being closed off. While inside the gondolas, passengers get a stunning view of the surrounding scenery which consists of the architecturally stunning buildings and parklands of Vienna. Additionally, the wheel contains a multicolored lighting system which provides riders with an entertaining show in the sky, long after sunset. The Giant Ferris Wheel is the centerpiece of the Vienna’s Prater amusement park and is one of the landmarks of Vienna. You can learn history, culture, and heritage through these magnificent monuments in Austria.

History:

The Vienna Giant Ferris Wheel (Riesenrad) is a 77-meter-high (253-foot) landmark in the Prater amusement park in Vienna, Austria. First built in 1897, the original wheel was dismantled in 1920, and the current wheel was built and opened in 1937 for the Great Exhibition of that year. The wheel is a popular tourist attraction and has featured in many films, including “The Third Man” and the James Bond movie “The Living Daylights”. The wheel is one of the oldest still-operating Ferris wheels in the world and today it continues to offer stunning views of the city from its height. The original Giant Ferris Wheel was the idea of a local Viennese engineer, Walburg von Leiber, who in 1896 wanted to create a panoramic view of Vienna for its citizens and visitors. He approached the City of Vienna with his idea and was granted permission to build it, and the construction of the wheel began in 1897. The Giant Ferris Wheel opened to the public that same year and was considered a great success. Over the next two decades, the wheel operated successfully, until it was forced to close down for safety reasons in 1916 by the authorities due to the effects of World War I. The wheel was dismantled in 1920. In 1935, plans for the modern wheel began and the new Giant Ferris Wheel was opened in 1937 for the World Exhibition in Vienna. At the time of the opening, it was the world’s largest Ferris wheel and it remains one of the tallest today. At the time of opening, it had 36 carriages that each held up to 12 passengers. In 2011, parts of the wheel were given a facelift and the support columns were repaired and painted, and a new cupola was added to the top of the wheel. In 2014, the wheel underwent a major renovation, which included the installation of new LED lighting along the spokes and the frames around the cabin. Today, the wheel continues to operate and offers visitors spectacular views of the city from its height. Visit one of the famous monuments of Austria with your friends and family.

Interesting facts:

1. The Giant Ferris Wheel, Vienna is the world’s oldest, biggest, and tallest operating Ferris wheel. 2. Standing at a height of 167 feet, it offers spectacular views of the city from above. 3. Its circumference of the wheel is 1,540 feet, and it features 30 gondolas each able to seat up to four people. 4. The wheel rotates once every 27 minutes and it takes around 30 minutes to complete one rotation. 5. The wheel is illuminated by 4,000 LED lights, and is brightly lit up during the night. 6. In 2018, The Giant Ferris Wheel, Vienna was voted the ‘most beautiful Ferris wheel in the world’ by CNN. One of the historical monuments of Austria, it tells the story of a bygone era