PANORAMA VIENNA reached a milestone with the completion of the massive roof construction and duly celebrated this with a topping-out ceremony on May 1 – the day on which the 1873 World’s Fair began. On this festive occasion, the hard-working employees, partners and contributors were honored for their tireless dedication in realizing this extraordinary construction project over the past weeks and months.
The Gleichenfeier began with the sounds of the Rotunda Quadrille by Johann Strauss Sohn (op. 360), while the guests were taken on a virtual flight through the Rotunda of the 1873 World’s Fair, digitized and animated by Filmwerkstatt Wien, to pay tribute to the historical significance of the rotundas in the Vienna Prater. The general planner and architect Dipl. Ing. Thomas Schmidt from WGA ZT GmbH and the master builder Dipl. Ing. Reinhard Freidl from Pongratz Bau shared anecdotes and challenges during the construction of the modern panoramic rotunda. The collaboration on this extraordinary project filled her with pride.
Dipl.-Kffr. Ilona Cardoso Vicente, Managing Director of PANORAMA VIENNA, paid tribute in her speech to the work and positive spirit of the workers, partners and contributors. She emphasized that PANORAMA VIENNA is not only a tribute to the Rotunda of the World Exhibition of 1873, but also a cultural gift for all Viennese, a unique meeting place in the middle of this wonderful city.
Many thanks go to the company Gleitbau-Salzburg, whose expertise enabled the smooth construction of the Rotunda, and to Prater Wien GmbH for their indispensable support. Managing Director Michael Prohaska was delighted with the progress made at Freudplatz 4.
The multimedia presentation of the new Rotunda era in Vienna’s Prater delighted the participants: Light, music and live content DJs staged plans of the construction site and excerpts from the time-lapse construction site videos by Fast Motion Systems. The hearty construction site snack was particularly tasty, serving a very special beer alongside the meat loaf rolls from the Prater Alm – the Viennese lager from the Schwechat brewery, which delighted people as early as 1873 at the World Exhibition.
Political celebrities from Vienna’s city government were also present: City Councillor for Culture Veronica Kaup-Hasler and District Head Alexander Nikolai were there, as was the Mayor. In his speech, Dr. Michael Ludwig praised the outstanding work and commitment of those involved and emphasized the value of PANORAMA VIENNA for the Vienna Prater and the city of Vienna. Together with the mayor, the countdown to the opening was heralded and the title of the first giant circular painting was unveiled. The monumental panorama ROME 312 by renowned artist Yadegar Asisi shows the magnificent capital of the Roman Empire around 1,000 years after its foundation at the height of its splendor and at a decisive turning point in human history. The new era of the Rotunda in the capital promises to be a cultural highlight – not only for the Vienna Prater, but for the entire city of Vienna and all its inhabitants.