In German, what you would probably call a Ferris wheel is a Riesenrad, literally "giant wheel". And it certainly fits the one that has been set up here in Ludwigsburg recently! At 70 m, it is the highest travelling one in the world (according to our local paper). Admittedly, there is one in Munich at 78 m, but although that one is mobile, meaning it could be moved, it never is, and therefore does not qualify as travelling.
Semantics aside, one could of course argue the reason and sense of it all. But does everything have to be useful or make sense? It is a much admired piece of engineering, and people love just looking at it, let alone ride on it and see the world around them from a perspective like never before or after. And that is exactly what's been happening here.
For the week it took the crew to set the wheel up (the City Star, as it is called, was in London before it came to Ludwigsburg), people of all ages have made it a point to direct their walks and strolls past the parking lot where the wheel is to remain for about three months. My sister and I, as well as O.K. and I, have been among those who liked to have a look, and see it coming together.
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| Sunday, Feb. 13 - the wheel is set up. |
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| As you can see, the cabins are not all in place yet. |
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| My next visit was on Tuesday, the 15th. The wheel is complete. |
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| It was a beautiful sunny day, perfect for an after-work stroll in the palace grounds with my sister. |
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| Yep - the wheel can be seen from there, too. |
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| And from a few unexpected places in and around town. |
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| Two days later (Thursday, Feb. 17) we were back. |
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| The entrance area is now lit up. |
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| Sunday night. |
We keep being amazed at all the different points in town from where the wheel is visible. At night, it is lit up; my sister sent me this picture from Sunday evening, when I was not here to see it for myself.
With the storm(s) and gales blowing for several days, many people were concerned about safety. But our local paper keeps publishing articles about how apparently the wheel can not be blown over, and if necessary, some or all of the cabins can be taken down quickly. So far, that has not happened. With wind speeds surpassing what is known here as windforce 7, the wheel stops operating. Windspeed is constantly measured at two different points on the wheel.
Even on the opening day last Friday, people were queuing and enjoying their rides, and that was a rather stormy day. Our paper (again) featured an article about reactions to that first ride; people having huge smiles on their faces and telling the reporter that this made them forget all their day-to-day troubles and worries for a while. Of course, restrictions apply; each cabin can hold up to six, but only persons of the same household are allowed in together, and one has to produce proof of being vaccined or tested negative.
You know I will be on the City Star at least twice, don't you! I hope you can see these two short videos. The first one was made by my sister, the 2nd one is mine.
I am looking forward to a ride with you. One by day and one by night, promised!
ReplyDeleteMeikes Mum
We'll do that as soon as the weather improves a bit, and it is less windy.
DeleteIf I could still get to London I would definitely go on our wheel -
ReplyDeleteI've never been on the London Eye, but I have been on a wheel in Sheffield some years ago. Apart from that, I've only ever been on the ones here in Ludwigsburg and Stuttgart, usually when there was a fun fair going on.
DeleteI have reall enjoyed the two I have been on in the UK. I know you will love the experience of seeing your home from a different perspective.
ReplyDeleteI definitely will! A few times I have seen my town from the top of church towers, something I have enjoyed very much.
DeleteI don't think I would want to go! That would make me dizzy! I will just enjoy your photos/videos from my safe spot on the ground! :)
ReplyDeleteYou do that, Ellen, along with everyone else who is not too keen on heights :-)
DeleteI haven't been on a Ferris Wheel in ages! And I've never been on one that big. The ones around here are hastily put up and taken down by traveling "carnies" who always seem to look like alcoholics and addicts and shady types. I question the safety and avoid rides like that these days.
ReplyDeleteI would, however, ride on your City Star! I'm sure it's quite safe and the view from the top must be fantastic!
Our local paper has an online photo gallery now of photos of and from the wheel. I am very much looking forward to my first ride!
DeleteAs for safety, it has all been checked and cross-checked - one of the situations when I am actually rather glad for everything here being so beaurocratic :-)
Looks good against that blue sky! I'm not good with heights though (as you know by now) so I'd prefer to stay on the ground even on a calm day. (I have been up in the one once, at the amusement park Liseberg in Gothenburg - decades ago - but not keen to repeat the experience.) We call them 'pariserhjul', Paris wheels, here - I think because when they were new, people misinterpreted the name "Ferris"!
ReplyDeleteThat is a fun (but plausible) explanation for the origin of "pariserhjul", Monica! Many people are fascinated with the giant wheel, even those who know they won't ride it (like my sister) because they are not good with heights.
DeleteLooking forward to photo evidence of your two rides on the Riesenrad. It is probably the biggest thing to happen in Ludwigsburg since the town charter was granted in 1718!
ReplyDeleteI guess there will be more than two; two with my Mum (as she has said in her comment) and at least another one with O.K.
DeleteSize-wise, it certainly is the biggest thing to come to Ludwigsburg since 1718. Event-wise, I can think of a few others.
What an amazing Wheel! How exciting to have it in your town for three months. I don't blame you for waiting for those high winds to die down before you ride it. I will look forward to seeing the photos you take from the Wheel!
ReplyDeleteThe photos our local paper keeps publishing on their website are beautiful, and I suspect mine will look pretty much the same - but they will be mine, taken during "my" 15 minutes on top of the world!
DeleteIt does look like good fun and no doubt good views from it. Looking forward to the pictures. We have one in Cardiff every Christmas and its very popular.
ReplyDeleteWe usually have one for the spring funfair, but smaller. Also, we did not have funfairs for two years now, and so people seem extra eager to go.
DeleteThat looks wonderful. I was on a smaller on in Berlin I think some decades ago. I've been to the London one but for some reason which I cannot recall we didn't go on it. There was a Da Vinci exhibition nearby we went to. Strange the things one remembers and the things one forgets. I hope you enjoy it and look forward to some photos.
ReplyDeleteI have just been to my parents' for my lunch break and we are going to make a proper family outing of it, not just yet, but when the palace grounds are in bloom. We have time until May, after all. But I am sure I will be up there well before that.
DeleteDas Riesenrad.
ReplyDeleteWhere engineering, design, and fun come together.
What delight, to see the great wheel at night, from a distance, all lit up !
*Das Riesenrad* was a 1961 film, directed by Geza von Radvanyi.
It was a vehicle, no pun intended, for the Viennese actress Maria Schell (1926-2005) who resisted the call from Hollywood Babylon, though she played John Voight's mother in *The Odessa File* (1974) filmed in Hamburg.
Ferris wheels also remind me of *The Third Man* (1949) directed by Carol Reed from an original screenplay by Graham Greene, and set in Maria Schell's Vienna.
In the movie's most iconic scene Orson Welles and Joseph Cotton speculate on fate and chance, looking down on Vienna from the ferris wheel in the Prater.
Jennifer's point is terrifying.
Who would risk a child on a ferris wheel set up by shady types, what we call 'cowboys' or bogus tradesmen.
Orson Welles played Harry Lime, a very shady type.
I must have watched *The Third Man* (Wikipedia) twenty times and the movie's theme music, played on a zither by Anton Karas, has a hypnotic effect.
You can see the last scene on YouTube as well as Orson Welles's famous line about the cuckoo clock.
*Orson Welles/ Cuckoo Clock Speech.* YouTube.
Delete*The Third Man - Final Scene.* YouTube.
I am quite familiar with the Third Man theme; it is iconic and introduced zither music to a much wider audience than before (or after, I believe).
DeleteMaria Schell had a very sweet face as a young woman. She was a great actress but often underestimated, as happens to very pretty women.
I've always loved riding a 'big wheel' as we called them as children - annually at the "Fair" in my hometown.
ReplyDeleteThey do have a Ferris Wheel there still in the summer months - much taller than the one in childhood years, great view across the bay etc. - and I took my granddaughter Jasmin on it last time she accompanied us to England some years back - we loved it! I've ridden the London Eye just once when home on a visit some years ago - it was awesome, especially being able to walk about in the pod and see different aspects of the city.
Here we have a wheel set up for the New Year celebration downtown - only stays for about a week though and I've never been on it. Of course it wasn't there the past two years due to COVID.
Look forward to hearing about your ride(s)later - will be great to eventually take your parents aboard the City Star when the weather is better come spring.
Hugs - Mary
I've been thinking about making that family outing on the Riesenrad as part of my birthday celebrations - that would be a perfect gathering for just the four of us, although my sister won't go on the ride.
DeleteI know I'm a killjoy but I really don't see the appeal of these wheels.
ReplyDeleteYe are no Killjoy, Tasker.
DeleteI suspect you would be happier on a glider, coasting over the Irish Sea, and coming to a jerky landing in ... Kildare or Kilbeg or Kilquane.
Your not seeing their appeal does not change my fascination with them, Tasker, just like my complete disinterest in watching Formula One or skiing or tennis on TV does not diminuish their general appeal.
DeleteHaggerty understands. I'm probably a control freak. Watching tennis, etc., no. Doing it myself, yes.
DeleteNot tennis, but I have enjoyed (and still do, on rare occasions) sports a lot myself, such as badminton, basketball, running and a few others.
DeleteI have never been on a Ferris wheel with the enclosed cabins. I think i would be willing to give one a try.
ReplyDeleteThe smaller ones at the funfairs are often with open seats, but I guess with the big ones such as this they need to have enclosed cabins as a rule. I like them all :-)
DeleteYes! I saw both videos and please thank your sister for hers since we get to see YOU at the end of it! What did you say?
ReplyDeleteI really love the London Eye myself! Many call it a Ferris Wheel but I think that I have read that it is not, it is more like a bicycle wheel. Whatever, it too was supposed to be there for a short time but I can't imagine them ever taking it away now. I am a bit nervous with heights so when I insisted in 2006 that we all get tickets, I think my son and husband were surprised. HEY! Even I can overcome my fears if I think I can see beauty! The views were wonderful.
What I said to my sister at the end of the video was Mach‘s weg, put it away - meaning the camera 😊
DeleteI am really looking forward to my first ride with this one, I liked the one in Stuttgart in October, but my hometown is even more interesting to me.