Prater-Vienna

Prater is a large public park in Leopoldstadt, Vienna, Austria. Prater includes many different areas, such as green areas, sports areas, cultural areas and entertainment areas.

The area that makes up modern Prater was first mentioned in 1162, when Emperor Friedrich I gave the land to a noble family named de Prato. The word "Prater" was first used in 1403, initially referring to a small island in the Danube River north of Freudenau, but gradually expanded to refer to neighboring areas. The land changed hands frequently until it was purchased by Emperor Maximilian II in 1560 as a hunting ground. To solve the problem of poaching, Emperor Rudolf II banned entry to the Prater.

On April 7, 1766, Emperor Joseph II declared Prater free to the public and allowed the establishment of coffeehouses, leading to the beginning of Wurstelprater. During this time, hunting continued in the Prater and only ended in 1920.

The 1873 Vienna World's Fair was held at the Prater. A large area is devoted to the fair, centered on the Rotunde (English: Rotunda). The Rotunde was built on the occasion of the World's Fair and was the largest building of the fair. The Rotunde was destroyed by a fire in 1937. While it existed, its dome was the largest in the world. The former site of Rotunde is now occupied by buildings related to Messe Wien and the Vienna University of Economics and Business. On the basis of the modern-day Kaiserwiese, an attraction called "Venice in Vienna" was founded in 1895 by Gabor Steiner. This area includes an artificial lagoon that simulates the canals of Venice, Italy.

Due to city development, Prater has shrunk significantly over time. In 1978, part of the Prater was designated "Green Prater" (German: Grüne Prater), and placed under "landscape protection" (German: Landschaftsschutz). In 2004, major renovations to the Wurstelprater began and a new underground railway was completed and opened for use on 11 May 2008, including three stops along the Prater (see Vienna U-Bahn) . Wien Praterstern train station has been operating for a long time and is only a few dozen meters from the park entrance. The overall area of the park has also been reduced due to the construction of the Ernst-Happel-Stadion (Austria's national stadium), the Südosttangente (Austria's busiest motorway) and the Trabrennbahn Krieau (a harness racing track). ). In 2013, the new campus of the Vienna University of Economics and Business opened next to Prater. In 2019, Eliud Kipchoge ran a 26.2-mile marathon on a park course in the INEOS 1:59 Challenge. His time of 1:59:40 was the first time anyone had run a marathon in under two hours.

Prater has many attractive attractions and experiences, such as:

• Vienna Wheel (Riesenrad): This is the symbol of the park and of Vienna, a giant wheel with a height of 64.75 meters, built in 1897. You can go up to the wooden chambers of the wheel to Enjoy panoramic views of Vienna from above. You can also rent a private room for parties, meetings or proposals.
• Wurstelprater Amusement Park: This is an area with many entertainment games, such as roller coasters, bumper cars, haunted houses, shooting, golf and many more. You can buy individual tickets or monthly tickets to play these games. You can also enjoy typical Viennese dishes and drinks at the stalls and restaurants in this area.
• Madame Tussauds Wax Museum: This is one of the most famous wax museums in the world, featuring more than 80 wax statues of famous figures, such as Mozart, Beethoven, Sigmund Freud, Arnold Schwarzenegger and many others. You can take pictures, play and interact with these wax statues. 16. Praterbad Water Park: This is a large and modern water park, with many swimming pools, water slides, wave pools and relaxation areas. You can enjoy a sunny and cool day here. The water park is open from May to September.

The Prater is a cultural site worth a visit when in Vienna. You can get here by public transport, such as metro U1, U2, bus 80A, 82A or tram 1, O. You can also park in Prater parking lot or Hauptallee parking lot. The area surrounding the park is a short-term parking area from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.