Wiener Riesenrad

The Wiener Riesenrad is one of the symbols of Vienna. The Giant Ferris Wheel was built in 1897 by the English engineer Walter Basset to mark the golden jubilee of Emperor Franz Joseph, and it stands at the entrance to the Prater, the former imperial hunting ground that is now the city's largest park. At 64.75 metres high it was for many years among the tallest wheels in the world. It was badly damaged at the end of the Second World War and rebuilt with 15 of its original 30 gondolas.

A ride is a gentle affair. The wheel turns slowly, with frequent stops for passengers to board, so a full turn takes considerably longer than the four minutes or so the wheel would need at full speed. The red wooden cabins, like small railway carriages, hold a number of people standing and give wide views over the Prater, the Danube and the rooftops towards St. Stephen's Cathedral. Before boarding, visitors pass through a panorama exhibition with replica gondolas that tells the history of the Prater and the wheel.

The Riesenrad is famous from the 1949 film The Third Man, in which Orson Welles' character delivers his speech about the cuckoo clock in one of the gondolas. Film fans often combine the ride with a visit to the Third Man Museum or a tour of the sewers that featured in the film. For special occasions, gondolas can be hired privately for dinners, cocktails or winter punch.

The wheel suits families, couples and first-time visitors who want an overview of the city. It is open all year, generally from late morning into the evening, but hours vary through the year, so check the official website for the day you plan to go. Going at dusk gives you the city lights. Around it, the Wurstelprater amusement park has rides, games and food stands, and the Prater's long chestnut-lined avenue, the Hauptallee, is ideal for a walk or bike ride.

The wheel is at Riesenradplatz, a few minutes' walk from Praterstern station, which is served by the U1 and U2 underground lines and S-Bahn trains. The Schweizerhaus beer garden is a short walk further into the park.