Fotoeins Fotografie

I’m on foot in Vienna’s Favoriten (10th district), slowly making my way uphill onto Laaer Berg. I pass apartment blocks and summer garden cottages and plots. After about 10 to 15 minutes, a clearing appears in the forest.

There’s a ferris wheel. There’s another ride with a vertical drop, some flat rides, even a small roller coaster.

The modest fairground is open on this warm late-afternoon in early-June, which means crowds are a little sparse with most kids in school and adults at work. Still, there’s a scatter of families: some with strollers, and others with young children dragging their parents to the nearest ride or closest treat.

There are spots to buy cold pop/soda, ice cream, and grilled sausage. There are also a couple of larger places for beer, wine, and typical Austrian “fare at the fair”.

And somewhere in the midst of a blaring soundtrack of top-40 and classic rock is home to Europe’s oldest carousel or merry-go-round.

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Böhmischer Prater

Bohemian Prater

In the mid 19th-century, brick-workers arrived from Bohemia and Moravia (present-day Czechia) and settled in the city’s 10th district (Favoriten). As an affordable relaxation and entertainment area not limited by class or station, the Bohemian Prater modelled after the imperial version was created in the nearby Laa forest by the 1880s. Damage from Allied bombing and post-war neglect kept the area quiet, until renewed interest sparked a resurgence of nostalgia beginning in the 1980s. Today, the modest “Volksprater” run by families who still live at the park can hold its own, especially at summer’s peak. There’s no charge to enter the park.

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Austrian amusements, Austrian food

Don’t be fooled by the idea that an amusement park means it’s basically an American version. Sure, you might get American-like things here, but make no mistake: this is Vienna. This is Austria. And so, a big restaurant sitting at the northwest end of the Bohemian Prater is going to offer food that speaks of local, regional, and national influences.

Zum Werkelmann has a lot on offer: Backhendl, Blunz’n, Brettljause, faschierte Laibchen, Lángos, (Kartoffel)Puffer, and Stelze. Because it’s Vienna, there’s wine and there’ll always be Grüner Veltliner and Gemischter Satz. For one last tug of the sweet tooth, there’s Erdbeerbowle (with an alcoholic kick), Erdbeerknödeln, Sacherschnitten, and Apfelstrudel.

What to choose? The main: Sarma (cabbage rolls), or rendered bacon-fat/meat dumplings (Grammel-/Fleischknödel) with Sauerkraut? For dessert: Topfenstrudel (cream cheese), or Gebackene Mäuse (deep-fried dough balls with vanilla sauce? To drink: Gemischter Satz, but an Achtel (eighth) or Viertel (quarter)?

No pics, too busy eating …

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Europas ältestes Ringelspiel

Europe’s oldest carousel (Park Hrabalek)

Europe’s oldest merry-go-round with 12 wood horses is located at Park Hrabalek within the Bohemian Prater. Businessman Ernst Hrabalek grew up in the Favoriten district and spent a lot of time at the Bohemian Prater. In 2016, he purchased “Frau Moros Carròusel” (Mrs. Moro’s Carousel) from Karl Meyer who had managed the ride for over 50 years. In turn, Hrabalek created a little park of his own, Park Hrabalek, including a new roundhouse enclosure for the carousel, a renovated train carriage, and a beer garden. Construction here of the merry-go-round was completed by 1890; its first public mention appeared in 1897 in the local newspaper “Wiener Extrablatt”. Hrabalek’s story is also described at 1000Things.

Round and round, the “Ringelspiel” goes;
Toy model rides for kids:
steam locomotive, tram carriage, vintage cars;
And 12 white-painted wooden horses
with names like Gitti, Hans, Otto, Peter, Rosi, Susi,

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Directions

Public transport with Wiener Linien:

•   Tram 6 or 11 to stop “Schrankenberggasse”. I stopped first at the Brotfabrik Wien arts space. From the latter, it’s a 1-km walk (10-15 minutes) east on Puchsbaumgasse which becomes the road called Unterführung Laaer Wald, heading uphill into the Laa forest. Near the top of the wooded Laa hill is the Bohemian Prater amusement park.
•   Bus 68A or 68B to stop “Urselbrunnengasse”.
•   Bus 15A to stop “Max Mauermann Gasse”.

( View map location at OpenStreetMap )

My visit to the Bohemian Prater was neither requested nor sponsored. I made all photos above on 8 June 2022 with a Fujifilm X70 fixed-lens prime. This post appears on Fotoeins Fotografie at fotoeins DOT com as https://wp.me/p1BIdT-n2l.