The Giant Ferris Wheel ("Riesenrad" in German) is the main attraction of the amusement park in Vienna's Prater and, along with St. Stephen's Cathedral, Schönbrunn Palace, Zoo and the Belvedere, is one of the most visited sights of the Danube metropolis.
In 1897, the Giant Ferris Wheel was erected on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the throne of Emperor Franz Joseph I. Within eight months, the fourth Giant Ferris Wheel in Europe was built on the Prater grounds in Vienna's 2nd district, at that time one of the largest in the world.
The Ferris wheel designed by English engineers Walter B. Basset and Harry Hitchins is still making its rounds after 120 years, while others, built at the same time, gave up the ghost prematurely.
In one of the fifteen carriages, the journey starts at a comfortable 2.7 km/h. A beautiful view of the Vienna skyline from a maximum height of 65 metres is guaranteed.
The weight of the iron construction is 430 tons. Two motors with an output of 15 kilowatts are connected by an axle and drive two flywheels via belts. The power transmission system is designed in such a way that a manual drive would be possible.
The Ferris wheel is also a popular location for international film productions. This was the case for a scene from the 1949 film "The Third Man". In this black and white post-war film, Orson Welles embodies the character of Harry Lime. The film is a historical document of the history of Vienna and became famous not least because of the Harry Lime theme played by Anton Karas on the zither.
