Prater, Vienna

The Prater, the large natural park between the Danube and the right-hand Danube Canal, is almost like another world. It is lively and exciting by day and something of a twilight zone by night. The park covers an area of some 1287ha/3,200 acres, stretching southeastwards almost 10km/6.5mi from the Prater crossroads through the former "Augebiet" to the end of the Prater.

Picture - Ferris wheel at Prater fair in Vienna.

Picture - Blumenrad (Flower-Wheel) in the amusement park Prater in Vienna.

Picture - Carousel in the amusement park Prater in Vienna.

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Prater Map

In the first section lies the so-called "Wurstel" or "Volk" Prater, with eating houses, dance halls, a giant wheel, roundabouts, switchback, dinosaur park and many other attractions.

Nearly every kind of sport is catered for in the Prater. There is riding in the Freudenau, trotting in the Krieau, swimming in the stadium pool, football in the Ernst Happel stadium built in 1931 and roofed over in 1986, cycling in the Ferry-Dusika stadium, tennis and bowls at the WAC courts.

The Prater was first documented in 1403. Maximilian II had the area fenced off in the 16th C. so that he could use it as a personal hunting reserve, and it was not opened to the general public until 1766. The first Punch and Judy shows date from 1767, and the first firework displays from 1771. In 1791 Blanchard's first hot air balloon rose into the sky; in 1840 Calafati began to operate a big roundabout here; since 1854 it has been guarded by "the Great Chinaman".

Prater Highlights

Planetarium

The Vienna planetarium runs some guided tours of the facility.

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Praters Giant 'Ferris Wheel

The Giant Wheel in the Prater is an important Viennese landmark, providing a fine view over the city and awakening memories of the "Third Man" and the James Bond film "The Living Daylights". The wheel was the brain child of Gabor Steiner (1858-1944) and was built in 1896 by the English engineer Walter B. Basset, who produced similar designs in London and Paris. It was erected in the record time of eight months and was operated for the first time on June 21 1897. It was destroyed during the last war, but was rebuilt and has been constantly in operation since 1946, although with fewer red coaches. The giant wheel is 61m/200ft in diameter. The weight supported by eight pylons is 165·2 tons/160 tons; the total weight of the whole construction is 430·05 tons/425 tons. It revolves at a speed of 0·75m/3ft per second. On the occasion of its 90th jubilee one of the coaches was luxuriously fitted out, and it can now be hired for a party of up to 12 people at a cost of some £200/US$ 300.

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Prater People's Park

"The trees are in bloom again in the Prater ..."; when these words of the popular song by Robert Stolz become fact the "Volksprater" (People's Park) emerges from its winter sleep and the Giant Wheel starts to turn again, the tunnel of love opens and the roundabouts and other attractions spring into life. Family days, children's parties and the traditional "Praterfest" on May 1 all add to the color. Although modern technology now plays a large part, the fairground owners try to retain the old-fashioned atmosphere, and there are still numerous roundabouts, dodgem cars, race tracks, swings and helter skelters and shooting galleries. Visitors can also watch stilt walkers, organ grinders, sword swallowers, ventriloquists and ponies.

Prater Ziehrer Monument

This larger than life statue in Vienna's Prater of the composer C. M. Ziehrer (1843-1922) in Deutschmeister uniform was made by Robert Ullmann in 1960.

Prater Constantin Hill

This hill in the Prater is man made from the soil dug out when the buildings for the 1873 Vienna Exhibition were erected, and was named after Franz Joseph's Chief Chamberlain, Constantin of Hohenlohe-Schillingsfürst.

Prater Museum

The Prater Museum, situated at the beginning of the main avenue, documents the history of the Prater from a hunting reserve to the leisure park of today. The emphasis is on the history of clowns and the great period of puppet theaters, ventriloquists, Aunt Sallys and the legendary "Praterfesten". The adjoining Planetarium, a gift from the Zeiss family in 1927, was one of the first of its kind in Europe.

Guided tours for children on Sunday at 9:30am.

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Prater Pleasure House

The cafe-restaurant, the Pleasure House, at the end of the main avenue of the Prater was a summer retreat out in the country 400 years ago. Emperor Joseph II had it rebuilt by Isidor Carnevale in 1783. Its greatest moment came in 1814 when, during the Congress of Vienna, the allied monarchs and their generals celebrated here the anniversary of the Battle of Leipzig when Napoleon was crushingly defeated. Some 18,000 soldiers were treated to a meal on tables erected around the building.

Prater Dinopark

Built in 1993, the "Dinopark' in the Prater, with its electronically-operated dinosaurs in prehistoric surroundings provides a half an hour of fun for young and old alike (approach road No. 140).

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Prater Miniature Railroad

The "Liliputbahn" miniature railroad in the Prater is driven partly by steam and partly by diesel, and covers a 4km/2.5mi stretch of line near the main avenue. It runs to the Stadium swimming pool and the Exhibition Ground in Vienna.

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Maria-Grun Chapel

This little pilgrimage church in the Prater stands on the site once occupied by a forest shrine. The "Maria- Grün" (Madonna in Green) picture above the High Altar is an object of veneration. A "Hubert" Mass for hunters is celebrated here each November.

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Exhibition Ground of the City of Vienna

East of the People's Park (Volksprater) lies the Exhibition Ground of the City of Vienna, with exhibition halls, pavilions and the 150m/492ft high Mannesmann Tower.

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