New attraction: The city of Vienna gets a panorama
Vienna, 21.06.2022. VIDA PANORAMA GmbH officially announces the creation of a panorama in the Vienna Prater. Adjacent to Freudplatz, at Zufahrtsstraße 154, 1020 Vienna, the construction project to build a 33-meter-high rotunda began in the spring of this year. PANORAMA VIENNA is set to open in spring 2023 and present visitors with an unprecedented form of exhibition in Austria.
Foundation stone laid for the PANORAMA VIENNA in the Vienna Prater
In the presence of district head Alexander Nikolai, representatives of Prater Wien GmbH and the Vienna Prater Association as well as close project partners, neighbors and friends, VIDA PANORAMA GmbH officially kicked off the construction of the PANORAMA VIENNA building at the laying of the foundation stone last week. During a podium speech, the building owners and representatives of VIDA PANORAMA GmbH, Dipl.-Kffr. Ilona Cardoso Vicente and Mr. Johann Dallinger, the general planner and architect Dipl. Ing. Harald Oissner from WGA ZT GmbH and the representatives of Bau Invest GmbH as general contractor spoke about the location and the realization of the project.
“I am delighted with all my heart that the PANORAMA VIENNA is being created here – precisely at this location – where culture, entertainment, education, modern architecture and tradition meet in a special way with the Prater, the adjacent hotels and the neighboring Siegmund Freud University!” said Dipl.-Kffr. Ilona Cardoso Vicente. Johann Dallinger said: “A landmark was still missing in this entrance area of the Prater, a counterpoint to the Giant Ferris Wheel. The attraction of these two visitor magnets should motivate visitors to stay longer in the Prater!
But why should the PANORAMA VIENNA in particular form a “counterpoint” to the Giant Ferris Wheel at this location? This question can be answered in the historical origins of Vienna’s panoramic history.
Historical origins led to the project idea
Just a few hundred meters from the Prater, a domed building was erected for the 1873 World’s Fair, which became the central building and symbol of the World’s Fair. In 1801, the inventor of the panorama, the Irishman Robert Barker, opened the first panorama rotunda on the European continent in the Vienna Prater. In a wooden round building on the main avenue.
The ROTUNDE was called “Gugelhupf” by the Viennese. It was by far the largest domed building in the world at the time. Unique exhibitions, magnificent festivals and interesting performances in a wide variety of fields took place in the Rotunda after the World Exhibition. After the Rotunda burned down on September 17, 1937, one could read the headline: A loss of an important cultural site of the city of Vienna! This made the project idea clear for the developers – a circular building was to be built at this location, with a cultural event show.
“I welcome the creation of this new attraction, a highlight for the Prater, the district and for the city of Vienna!” said District Head Alexander Nikolai. “We are very pleased that after such a long time and after all forces have worked together – in a positive sense – the final go-ahead has now been given for this great project!” said Michael Prohaska, Managing Director of Prater Wien GmbH.
Opening of the first exhibition
“Our PANORAMA VIENNA will open next year, exactly 150 years after the Rotunda was built. This is a dream come true for me,” said Johann Dallinger. The gigantic structure will show images that can only be experienced in their size and dimension in the panorama.
“Most people have never seen a picture this big – a picture they will never forget. No picture or movie can replace this fascinating experience!” said Dipl.-Kffr. Ilona Cardoso Vicente.
The exhibited works of art and the associated themes are intended not only to inspire visitors for the moment, but also to bring about a lasting change of perspective. This means that the presentation and the associated interpretation of the content should draw attention to the big picture.
What exactly will be on display in the panorama from spring 2023 has not yet been revealed.