Prater

The Prater is a large public park in Leopoldstadt, Vienna, Austria. The Wurstelprater, an amusement park that is often simply called "Prater", lies in one corner of the Wiener Prater and includes the Wiener Riesenrad Ferris wheel.

Name
The name Prater derives from one of two Latin words (or possibly both): pratum 'meadow' or praetor 'magistrate, lawyer', possibly via Spanish prado or Italian prato.

History


The area that makes up the modern Prater was first mentioned in 1162, when Emperor Friedrich I gave the land to a noble family called de Prato. The word "Prater" was first used in 1403, originally referring to a small island in the Danube north of Freudenau, but was gradually extended to mean the neighbouring areas as well. The land changed hands frequently until it was bought by Emperor Maximilian II in 1560 to be a hunting ground. To deal with the problem of poachers, Emperor Rudolf II forbade entry to the Prater. On 7 April 1766, Emperor Joseph II declared the Prater to be free for public enjoyment, and allowed the establishment of coffee-houses and cafés, which led to the beginnings of the Wurstelprater. Throughout this time, hunting continued to take place in the Prater, ending only in 1920.

The 1873 Vienna World's Fair was held in the Prater. A large area was set aside for the fair, centered on the Rotunde (Rotunda). The Rotunde was built for the occasion of the World's Fair, and was the fair's largest building. The Rotunde was destroyed by a fire in 1937. While it stood, its dome was the largest in the world. The former site of the Rotunde is now occupied by buildings associated with the Messe Wien, and with the Vienna University of Economics and Business.

On the grounds of modern-day Kaiserwiese, an attraction called "Venice in Vienna" was established in 1895 by Gabor Steiner. The area included an artificial lagoon to simulate the canals of Venice, Italy.

Due to development, the Prater has shrunk significantly over time. For instance, the Prater used to include the land that is now the Hafen Freudenau (Freudenau Harbor), and the Stuwerviertel.

In 1978, part of the Prater was designated the "Green Prater" (Grüne Prater), and was placed under "landscape protection" (Landschaftsschutz).

In 2004, major renovations to the Wurstelprater began, and a new underground railway line was finished and brought into service on 11 May 2008, which includes three stops along the Prater (see Vienna U-Bahn). Wien Praterstern railway station has been in operation for a long time and is only a few dozen metres away from an entrance to the park.

The overall area of the park has also been reduced by the building 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 was opened next to the Prater.

In 2019, Eliud Kipchoge ran the marathon distance of 42.195 km on a stretch of road in the park in the INEOS 1:59 Challenge. His time of 1:59:40 was the first time anyone had run the marathon distance in under two hours.

Other attractions




The Hauptallee (main avenue) is the main artery, lined with horse chestnut trees, closed to motorists and known to sports enthusiasts from the annual Vienna Marathon. The Wiener Prater is home to the Liliputbahn, a narrow gauge railway. Another unusual object to be found in the Wiener Prater is the Republik Kugelmugel (Republic of Kugelmugel), a spherical micronation. The Wiener Prater also houses a planetarium and the Prater Museum.

The Hauptallee is the venue for about 30 organized running events every year, including the Vienna City Marathon and the Austrian Women's Run. The tradition started in 1822, when races were held between professional runners and Vienna nobility. In 2022, it was awarded the World Athletics Heritage plaque for its contributions to the sport of running.