Riesenrad+(Ferris+Wheel)

=Riesenrad (Ferris Wheel)=

One of Vienna's most historical landmarks is just a carnival ride, a Ferris Wheel. This Ferris Wheel is special, though. It's called the Reisenrad. The Reisenrad is located at the entrance of the amusement park called Prater. This historical landmark is one the most popular and well known tourist attractions in Vienna. If you go to Vienna you must go on this Ferris Wheel. The Ferris Wheel was built to celebrate the Golden Jubilee of Emperor Franz Josef I in 1887. This makes it even more special to the people of Vienna. Even though the Ferris Wheel seems like a good time, it also has one piece of dark history. In 1898, a woman by the name of Marie Kindl hung her self on the outside of one of the cabins. That was because her and her family were in deep poverty and she wanted to grab the attention of the people of the city. She just wanted everybody to know. This Ferris Wheel has also been used in movies a handful of times. One time, there was a movie being shot and a horse was on top of a cabin for a whole revolution. The woman that made this possible was Madame Solange d`Atalide. She was a horse woman and a very successful circus director. In 1916, there was a permit signed for the deconstruction of this Ferris Wheel. That's because there was a shortage of money going towards the Ferris Wheel. It ended up being saved but that didn't matter because in 1944, during WWII, it burned down. The Riesenrad was rebuilt a year later, in 1945. Even though it was rebuilt, they didn't start to operate it again until 1957. It is now also used as a clock tower. It flashes lights, corresponding to the number of the hour. An interesting fact about the Riesenrad is that from 1920 to 1985, it was the tallest Ferris Wheel in the world (today that honor goes to a ride in Las Vegas).