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The History of Wiener Prater Every city is unique in its own way, and its urban character can best be portrayed by how much it is able to surprise us anew every day. It reveals its playful side, displaying urban ludic objects and structures within outdoor play areas. It is that liberating act, the pleasure and necessity to step out into public space from ordinary private life, into a temporary and spatially limited sphere where the stage becomes sacred ground, a vast urban playground. It is precisely such a place, a ludic public space, that has come to life in the urban fabric of the city of Vienna. The Prater, a former imperial hunting ground, is a public ludic park located in Leopoldstadt, Vienna, Austria. Within its vast grounds lies the Wurstelprater, an amusement and recreational park commonly known simply as "Prater." The rich history of the Prater traces back to 1162 when Emperor Friedrich I bestowed the land upon the noble family de Prato. Since then, the term "Prater" has undergone a remarkable evolution, beginning with its modest origins in 1403 as a reference to a small island in the Danube near Freudenau, eventually expanding to encompass the surrounding areas. Moreover, the name "Prater" derives its roots from either the Latin word "pratum," evoking imagery of expansive meadows, or "praetor," historically linked with the esteemed roles of "magistrate" or "lawyer." Emperor Maximilian II acquired the land in 1560 for hunting purposes, followed by Emperor Rudolf II's efforts to restrict access to combat poaching. However, it was Emperor Joseph II who revolutionised the Prater by opening it to the public on April 7, 1766, leading to the establishment of coffee houses and cafés and the birth of the Wurstelprater. Despite its transformation, hunting persisted in the Prater until 1920. In 1873, Vienna hosted its first and only World Exhibition in the Prater area. A big part of the fair was located around the Rotunde. Around 53,000 exhibitors presented their accomplishments on a massive 2.3 million square meter area, focusing on cultural themes. The highlight of the exhibition was the 84-meter-high Rotunda with a 109-meter-wide dome, but it was destroyed by fire in 1937. At the time, its dome was the biggest in the world. Now, where the Rotunde used to be, there are buildings connected to Messe Wien and the Vienna University of Economics and Business. In 1895, the amusement area „Venice in Vienna“ was built, and in its center, in 1897, the Giant Ferris Wheel, one of the city's landmarks. The Prater gradually became a hub for culture and entertainment. In 1938, the Prater became the property of the City of Vienna. During World War II, large parts of the Prater grounds were destroyed by numerous bomb hits and the construction of trenches. Much of the Wurstelprater was lost in a fire in April 1945. After 1945, private initiatives rebuilt the Wurstelprater, and the devastated Prater landscape was reforested by the City Garden Office. In 1978, part of the Prater became known as the „Green Prater“ and was put under „landscape protection.“ In 2004, significant improvements were made to the Wurstelprater area, and a new underground train line was completed. In 2023, the Prater celebrated its proud 150th anniversary, a testament to its enduring legacy as a cherished landmark and ludic haven in the heart of Vienna. Exkurs: Vertigo Vertigo is a descriptive term for a sensation where there's a perceived movement between the patient and their environment. They may describe feeling like they're moving or that the room is moving. Often, this sensation is a horizontal spinning feeling, similar to the sensation experienced when spinning on a swing and then suddenly stopping, but feeling like the environment is still in motion around you. Vertigo is frequently accompanied by nausea, vomiting, sweating, and a general feeling of being unwell. Vertigo occurs when there's a mismatch between the sensory inputs responsible for maintaining posture. These inputs include vision, proprioception of joints, and signals from the vestibular system, which is crucial in understanding vertigo. The vestibular system, located in the inner ear, consists of three loops called semicircular canals filled with fluid called endolymph. These canals detect different head movements by detecting shifts in the fluid, which are picked up by small hairs called stereocilia in the ampulla section. Signals from this sensory input are sent to the brain via the vestibular nerve, informing it about head movements. These signals also reach the vestibular nucleus in the brainstem and the cerebellum, which coordinate movements throughout the body. Vertigo can result from peripheral problems affecting the vestibular system or central issues involving the brainstem or cerebellum. Ilinx ludus: Immersing oneself in the ecstatic sensation of Wiener Prater's Vertigo Upon approaching the Prater, it becomes clear that one is about to enter a space independent of ordinary life. The colourful attractions, the never ending motions of rollercoasters, blinking lights, terrified shrieks of visitors, unearthly sounds and fumes are visible and audible even from a distance. The visitors come here to leave their daily lives behind and enter a “universe of play.” (1) The lure of the Prater is based upon excitement, terror, illusion and mystery. The attractions in the amusement park are plentiful, such as phantom trains, haunted houses, labyrinths of mirrors, colliding cars, shootings guns, catapults and rollercoasters. Although the contraptions seem to be devices that thrill and disorder the visitors, the experiences are brief and controlled. The motivation of visiting an amusement park, such as the Prater, is essentially the pursuit of a special disorder, that still has strict and calculated limits, where every experience is controlled in minute detail. According to Roger Caillois all the categories of play are represented in an amusement park, but often the dominant atmosphere is that of vertigo with ”machines for rotation, oscillation, suspension, and falling, constructed for the purpose of provoking visceral panic.” (2) Later in his book “Man, play and games” he writes: “These physical sensations are reinforced by many related forms of fascination designed to disorient, mislead, and stimulate confusion, anxiety, nausea, and momentary terror, quickly transformed into laughter upon getting off the contraption, a sudden transition from physical disorder to ineffable relief. ” (3) Caillois reminds us, that all of this is still play, as the amusement park and its attractions are free, isolated, limited and regulated. My colleague Ivan and I went to the Prater during an unusual time. It was December it had snowed and most of the attractions were closed. It was a very different experience to enter the Prater, which is usually defined by being very crowded, but not this time. Before coming there we had researched which of the rollercoaster label themselves as being vertigo inducing. We chose one modern rollercoaster “G´senkte Sau” and one older attraction that is not run by powerful machines “Tobbogan”. On the official website of the Prater “G´senkte Sau” is described as a rollercoaster that offers and all “unsettling loops and vertigo-inducing drops” (4) After deciding to accept the experience of the rollercoaster and buying a ticket for the ride, the excitement started to be noticeable. As mentioned before, the Prater was nearly without visitor, so I was giggling by and for myself on the way to the little vehicle in which 4 people can sit. I was relieved that there was a person controlling if my seat was properly locked. Because of the fact that I was the only one riding, and there were no people watching from outside, apart from my colleague Ivan, I felt a lot unsafer than I usually feel when riding a rollercoaster. The moment I started moving until the end of the ride, I felt a strangely enjoyable panic. The vehicle, which travels with great speed, seemed to fall freely out of every curve, just making a sharp turn in what felt like the last second. The drops made me cry out in terror, squish the inner organs in my belly. Still during the ride I was laughing in relieve whenever a turn or a fall was completed and I still found myself strapped safely in the seat. Once the ride was over, I felt a nausea, but also a sense of pride and alertness that I recognise from earlier rollercoaster rides. One aspect, that should be highlighted once more, is that this experiences did not feel quite complete, as I was going through the terror of the ride alone, and because there was only one person watching. So the decision to accept or refuse the experience, and the separation of the visitors who chose for one or the other is an important element, which I only became aware of, once it was missing. The second attraction we chose to look at more closely falls into the more classical category of vertigo, tobogganing. The name of the attraction is Toboggan and the website advertises it with the slogan: “Let's go for nostalgic sliding fun!” (5) "The Toboggan", also called "Devil's Slide”, is supposed to be one of the oldest wooden slides in the world. The wooden tower is a listed building. Opened in 1913, the wooden tower burned down and was rebuild in 1946 using old plans. Unfortunately the slide was closed when we visited, but I remember sliding it as a child with my father. In my memory, I remember it being a nice, relaxed experience compared to the more modern roller coasters. Visually it stands out through its material and comparatively subtle light and sound effects. We would like to end this account of our experience at the Prater with a quote of Roger Caillois about vertigo and its attraction: “To be sure, vertigo presupposes fear or, more precisely, feelings of panic, but the latter attracts and fascinates one; it is pleasurable. It is not so much a question of triumphing over fear as of the voluptuous experience of fear, thrills, and shock that causes a momentary loss of self-control.” (1) Caillois, R. and Barash, M. (2001) Man, play, and games. Urbana: University of Illinois. (Page 50) (2) Caillois, R. and Barash, M. (2001) Man, play, and games. Urbana: University of Illinois. (Page 133) (3) Caillois, R. and Barash, M. (2001) Man, play, and games. Urbana: University of Illinois. (Page 134) (4) G’sengte Sau ⋆ prater.at (2023) Prater.at. Available at: https://prater.at/en/attractions/ gsengte-sau/ (Accessed: 02 December 2023). (5) Toboggan ⋆ prater.at (2021) Prater.at. Available at: https://prater.at/en/attractions/ toboggan/ (Accessed: 02 December 2023). (6) Caillois, R. and Barash, M. (2001) Man, play, and games. Urbana: University of Illinois. (Page 169) REFERENCES HUIZINGA Johan: Homo Ludens. Vom Ursprung der Kultur im Spiel. Hamburg 2019 February 28, 2024, from https://www.wien.gv.at/umwelt/parks/anlagen/prater.html February 28, 2024, from https://www.msdmanuals.com/de/heim/hals-,-nasen-und-ohrenerkrankungen/symptome-von-ohrenerkrankungen/benommenheit-und-schwindel-vertigo Caillois, R. and Barash, M. (2001) Man, play, and games. Urbana: University of Illinois. Toboggan ⋆ prater.at (2021) Prater.at. Available at: https://prater.at/en/attractions/ toboggan/ (Accessed: 02 December 2023). G’sengte Sau ⋆ prater.at (2023) Prater.at. Available at: https://prater.at/en/attractions/ gsengte-sau/ (Accessed: 02 December 2023).
