See Also

Ferris wheel

A Ferris wheel is a nonbuilding structure Nonbuilding structure

Nonbuilding structures, also referred to simply as structures, are those not designed for continuo... 

 consisting of an upright wheel with passenger gondola Gondola lift

A gondola lift is a type of aerial lift [i], often called a cable car, which consists of a loop of ... 

s suspended from the rim. Ferris wheels are a common feature of amusement park rides Amusement ride

An amusement ride is any number of devices found in funfair [i]s and amusement park [i]s meant to appeal ... 

 and may also be found at many urban parks Urban park

An urban park, also known as a municipal park, is a park [i] that is built in cities mostly to red ... 

 and public places around the world.

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A Ferris wheel is a nonbuilding structure Nonbuilding structure

Nonbuilding structures, also referred to simply as structures, are those not designed for continuo... 

 consisting of an upright wheel with passenger gondola Gondola lift

A gondola lift is a type of aerial lift [i], often called a cable car, which consists of a loop of ... 

s suspended from the rim.

Ferris wheels are a common feature of amusement park rides Amusement ride

An amusement ride is any number of devices found in funfair [i]s and amusement park [i]s meant to appeal ... 

 and may also be found at many urban parks Urban park

An urban park, also known as a municipal park, is a park [i] that is built in cities mostly to red ... 

 and public places around the world.

History


The earliest ancestor of the Ferris wheel is the Ups-and-Downs, a crude, hand-turned device, which dates back at least to the 17th century and is still in use in some parts of the world.

The modern Ferris wheel is named after George Washington Gale Ferris, Jr., who designed a 80 meter wheel for the World's Columbian Exposition World's Columbian Exposition

The World's Columbian Exposition , a World's Fair [i], was held in the U.S. [i] city of Chicago [i] ... 

 in Chicago, Illinois Chicago

Chicago is the largest city [i] in the U.S. state [i] of Illinois [i], as well as the third-most populous [i] ... 

 in 1893. It was designed as a rival to the Eiffel Tower Eiffel Tower

The Eiffel Tower is an iron [i] tower [i] built on the Champ de Mars [i] beside the River Seine [i] ... 

, the centerpiece of the 1889 Paris exhibition Exposition Universelle (1889)

The Exposition Universelle of 1889 was a World's Fair [i] held in Paris [i], France [i] from May 6 [i], ... 

. This first wheel weighed 2000 tonnes and could carry 2,160 persons at a time; The Ferris wheel was the largest attraction at the Columbian Exposition standing over 250' tall and powered by two 1000 HP steam engines. There were 36 cars each the size of a school bus that accommodated 60 people each . It took 20 minutes for the wheel to make one revolution and for that, the ticket holder paid 50 cents. The wheel was moved twice after the 1893 Fair and was eventually destroyed in 1904 after it was used at the St. Louis exposition of that year. At 70 tons, its axle was the largest steel forging of the time. It was 26 stories tall, only a quarter of the Eiffel Tower's height.

Another famous Ferris wheel with a height of 65 meters, dating back to 1897, is the Riesenrad Riesenrad

The Riesenrad is a Ferris wheel [i] at the entrance of the Prater [i] amusement park in Vienna [i] ... 

 in Vienna Vienna

Vienna is the capital [i] of Austria [i], and also one of the nine States of Austria [i]. ... 

's Prater Prater

The Wiener Prater is a large public park in Vienna [i]'s second district [i]. ... 

 in the second district of Leopoldstadt Leopoldstadt

Leopoldstadt is Vienna [i]'s second district. ... 

 — see also World's Fair Weltausstellung 1873 Wien

The Weltausstellung 1873 Wien was the large World exposition [i] which was held in 1873 [i] in the Austrian-Hungarian [i]... 

.

London London

London is the capital [i] city of England [i] and of the United Kingdom [i]. ... 

, UK United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a country and sovereign state [i] tha ... 

 had its very own 'Gigantic Wheel' built at Earls Court Earls Court

Earls Court is a place in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea [i] in London [i], England [i]. ... 

 in 1895, which was modelled on the original one in Chicago. This wheel stayed in service until 1906 by which time it had carried over 2.5 million passengers. It was built by two young Australian engineers named Adam Gaddelin and Gareth Watson and was the first of over 200 ferris wheels that they built world-wide.

Sky Dream Fukuoka Sky Dream Fukuoka

ernal links

  • - in Japanese.* - Marinoa City Fukuoka

... 

 in Fukuoka Fukuoka, Fukuoka

This page is about Fukuoka, Fukuoka , a city in Fukuoka Prefecture.... 

, Japan Japan

is an island country [i] in East Asia [i]. ... 

, at 112 meters in diameter and 120 meters from ground to top, is the largest Ferris wheel in the world. At 212 feet , The Texas Star at Fair Park Fair Park

Fair Park is a recreational and educational complex located in Dallas [i], Texas [i]. ... 

 is the largest ferris wheel in the Western Hemisphere Western Hemisphere

Western Hemisphere, or Western hemisphere, is a geopolitical [i] term for the Americas [i] ... 

. The wheel opened in 1985 and has a maximum capacity of 260 persons.

Observation wheels


Recent large Ferris wheels have been marketed as "observation" wheels to differentiate them from the smaller Ferris wheels, but ironically are more similar to the original Ferris wheel than the smaller modern wheels.

The world's most famous observation wheel is the London Eye London Eye

The British Airways [i] London Eye, also known as the Millennium Wheel, opened in 1999 [i] and is ... 

 in London London

London is the capital [i] city of England [i] and of the United Kingdom [i]. ... 

, United Kingdom United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a country and sovereign state [i] tha ... 

, operated by British Airways British Airways

British Airways is the largest airline [i] of the United Kingdom [i]. ... 

. Its great popularity has led to a number of other cities, including Birmingham Birmingham

Birmingham is a city [i] and metropolitan borough [i] in the West Midlands [i] ... 

 and York York

York is a city [i] in Northern [i] England [i], at th ... 

 , Moscow Moscow

Moscow is the capital [i] of Russia [i] and the country's principal political, economic, financial, edu ... 

, Las Vegas Las Vegas, Nevada

Las Vegas is the most populous city in the state of Nevada [i], United States [i], and a major vacation [i] ... 

, Shanghai Shanghai

Shanghai , situated on the banks of the Yangtze River Delta [i] in East China [i], is the largest city o ... 

, Melbourne Melbourne

Melbourne is the state capital [i] and largest city in the Australian ... 

 and Singapore Singapore

Singapore, formally the Republic of Singapore , is an island [i] city-state [i] and ... 

 erecting, or proposing to erect, similar wheels.

Double and triple wheels


In the mid to late 1970's, coaster giant Intamin AG Intamin AG

Intamin AG is a designing and manufacturing company in Wollerau [i], Switzerland [i]. ... 

 invented a new twist on the common ferris wheel. Using long arms to hold the massive wheels, they created a way to load and unload ferris wheels more quickly. In 1976, 2 Sky Whirl Sky Whirl

Sky Whirl was an Intamin [i] Triple Giant Ferris Wheel [i] that operated at both Marriott's Great America [i] ... 

s opened at Marriott's Great America and were the first triple wheels. One was also installed at Paramount's Kings Island Paramount's Kings Island

Paramount's Kings Island is a 364 acre amusement park [i] located in Warren County, Ohio [i] in the city... 

 in Ohio. Triple Wheels were attached to three long arms and when loading/unloading passengers, the massive structure would rotate and bring another wheel of cars to the ground. Today, none of them operate.

External links

  • at
  • A 54m observation wheel at the National Railway Museum, York, UK.