A Ferris wheel (also called a Giant Wheel or an observation wheel) is an amusement ride consisting of a rotating upright wheel with multiple passenger-carrying components (commonly referred to as passenger cars, cabins, tubs, gondolas, capsules, or pods) attached to the rim in such a way that as the wheel turns, they are kept upright, usually by

gravity In physics, gravity () is a fundamental interaction which causes mutual attraction between all things with mass or energy. Gravity is, by far, the weakest of the four fundamental interactions, approximately 1038 times weaker than the stro ...

. Some of the largest modern Ferris wheels have cars mounted on the outside of the rim, with

electric motor An electric motor is an Electric machine, electrical machine that converts electrical energy into mechanical energy. Most electric motors operate through the interaction between the motor's magnetic field and electric current in a Electromagneti ...

s to independently rotate each car to keep it upright. These cars are often referred to as capsules or pods. The original Ferris Wheel was designed and constructed by

George Washington Gale Ferris Jr. George Washington Gale Ferris Jr. (February 14, 1859 – November 22, 1896) was an American civil engineer. He is mostly known for creating the original Ferris Wheel for the 1893 Chicago World's Columbian Exposition. Early life Ferris was bor ...

as a landmark for the 1893

World's Columbian Exposition The World's Columbian Exposition (also known as the Chicago World's Fair) was a world's fair held in Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordi ...

Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...

; however, wheels of this form predate Ferris's wheel by centuries. The generic term "Ferris wheel," now used in English for all such structures, has become the most common type of amusement ride at state fairs in the United States. The tallest Ferris wheel, the Ain Dubai in the

United Arab Emirates The United Arab Emirates (UAE; ar, اَلْإِمَارَات الْعَرَبِيَة الْمُتَحِدَة ), or simply the Emirates ( ar, الِْإمَارَات ), is a country in Western Asia (The Middle East). It is located at th ...

, opened in October 2021. The previous record holder since 2014 had been the High Roller in

Las Vegas, Nevada Las Vegas (; Spanish for "The Meadows"), often known simply as Vegas, is the 25th-most populous city in the United States, the most populous city in the state of Nevada, and the county seat of Clark County. The city anchors the Las Vegas ...

, which opened to the public in March 2014.

Terminology and design

The term ''Ferris wheel'' comes from the maker of one of the first examples constructed for Chicago's

by George Washington Gale Ferris Jr. in 1893. Modern versions have been called ''observation wheels''. In 1892, when the incorporation papers for the Ferris Wheel Company (constructors of the original 1893 Chicago Ferris Wheel) were filed, the purpose of the company was stated as: onstruction and operation of"wheels of the Ferris or other types for the purpose of observation or amusement". Design variation includes single (cantilevered) or twin sided support for the wheel and whether the cars or capsules are oriented upright by gravity or by electric motors. The most prevalent design is the use of twin sided support and gravity-oriented capsules.

Early history

"Pleasure wheels", whose passengers rode in chairs suspended from large wooden rings turned by strong men, may have originated in 17th-century

Bulgaria Bulgaria (; bg, България, Bǎlgariya), officially the Republic of Bulgaria,, ) is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the eastern flank of the Balkans, and is bordered by Romania to the north, Serbia and North Macedon ...

. ''The Travels of

Peter Mundy Peter Mundy ( fl. 1597 – 1667) was a seventeenth-century British factor, merchant trader, traveller and writer. He was the first Briton to record, in his ''Itinerarium Mundi'' ('Itinerary of the World'), tasting '' Chaa'' (tea) in China and trav ...

in Europe and Asia, 1608–1667'' describes and illustrates "''severall Sorts of Swinginge used in their Publique rejoyceings att their Feast of Biram''" on 17 May 1620 at Philippopolis (now

Plovdiv Plovdiv ( bg, Пловдив, ), is the second-largest city in Bulgaria, standing on the banks of the Maritsa river in the historical region of Thrace. It has a population of 346,893 and 675,000 in the greater metropolitan area. Plovdiv is the c ...

) in the Ottoman

Balkans The Balkans ( ), also known as the Balkan Peninsula, is a geographical area in southeastern Europe with various geographical and historical definitions. The region takes its name from the Balkan Mountains that stretch throughout the who ...

. Among means "''lesse dangerous and troublesome''" was one: Five years earlier, in 1615,

Pietro Della Valle Pietro Della Valle ( la, Petrus a Valle; 2 April 1586 – 21 April 1652), also written Pietro della Valle, was an Italian composer, musicologist, and author who travelled throughout Asia during the Renaissance period. His travels took him to the ...

, a Roman traveller who sent letters from

Constantinople la, Constantinopolis ota, قسطنطينيه , alternate_name = Byzantion (earlier Greek name), Nova Roma ("New Rome"), Miklagard/Miklagarth (Old Norse), Tsargrad ( Slavic), Qustantiniya (Arabic), Basileuousa ("Queen of Cities"), Megalopolis (" ...

, Persia, and India, attended a Ramadan festival in Constantinople. He describes the fireworks, floats, and great swings, then comments on riding the Great Wheel: Similar wheels also appeared in England in the 17th century, and subsequently elsewhere around the world, including India, Romania, and Siberia. A Frenchman, Antonio Manguino, introduced the idea to America in 1848, when he constructed a wooden pleasure wheel to attract visitors to his start-up fair in Walton Spring, Georgia.

Somers' Wheel

In 1892, William Somers installed three fifty-foot wooden wheels at

Asbury Park, New Jersey Asbury Park () is a beachfront city located on the Jersey Shore in Monmouth County in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is part of the New York metropolitan area. As of the 2020 U.S. census, the city's population was 15,188

;

Atlantic City, New Jersey Atlantic City, often known by its initials A.C., is a coastal resort city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States. The city is known for its casinos, boardwalk, and beaches. In 2020, the city had a population of 38,497.

; and

Coney Island Coney Island is a peninsular neighborhood and entertainment area in the southwestern section of the New York City borough of Brooklyn. The neighborhood is bounded by Brighton Beach and Manhattan Beach, Brooklyn, Manhattan Beach to its east, L ...

, New York. The following year he was granted the first U.S. patent for a "Roundabout".

rode on Somers' wheel in Atlantic City prior to designing his wheel for the

. In 1893 Somers filed a lawsuit against Ferris for patent infringement; however, Ferris and his lawyers successfully argued that the Ferris Wheel and its technology differed greatly from Somers' wheel, and the case was dismissed.

The original Ferris Wheel

The original Ferris wheel, sometimes referred to as the Chicago Wheel, was designed and constructed by Ferris Jr. and opened in 1893; however, an earlier wheel was created for the New York State fair in 1854, created by two Erie Canal workers. With a height of , it was the tallest attraction at the

Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...

Illinois Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolita ...

, where it opened to the public on June 21, 1893. It was intended to rival the

Eiffel Tower The Eiffel Tower ( ; french: links=yes, tour Eiffel ) is a wrought-iron lattice tower on the Champ de Mars in Paris, France. It is named after the engineer Gustave Eiffel, whose company designed and built the tower. Locally nicknamed "'' ...

, the centerpiece of the 1889 Paris Exposition. Ferris was a graduate of

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute () (RPI) is a private research university in Troy, New York, with an additional campus in Hartford, Connecticut. A third campus in Groton, Connecticut closed in 2018. RPI was established in 1824 by Stephen Van ...

and a

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Allegheny County. It is the most populous city in both Allegheny County and Wester ...

, bridge-builder. He began his career in the railroad industry and then pursued an interest in bridge building. Ferris understood the growing need for structural steel and founded G.W.G. Ferris & Co. in Pittsburgh, a firm that tested and inspected metals for railroads and bridge builders. The wheel rotated on a 71-

ton Ton is the name of any one of several units of measure. It has a long history and has acquired several meanings and uses. Mainly it describes units of weight. Confusion can arise because ''ton'' can mean * the long ton, which is 2,240 pounds ...

, 45.5-foot axle comprising what was at that time the world's largest hollow forging, manufactured in Pittsburgh by the Bethlehem Iron Company and weighing 89,320 pounds, together with two cast-iron spiders weighing 53,031 pounds. There were 36 cars, each fitted with 40 revolving chairs and able to accommodate up to 60 people, giving a total capacity of 2,160. The wheel carried some 38,000 passengers daily and took 20 minutes to complete two revolutions, the first involving six stops to allow passengers to exit and enter and the second a nine-minute non-stop rotation, for which the ticket holder paid 50 cents. The Exposition ended in October 1893, and the wheel closed in April 1894 and was dismantled and stored until the following year. It was then rebuilt on Chicago's North Side, near the high-income enclave of

Lincoln Park Lincoln Park is a park along Lake Michigan on the North Side of Chicago, Illinois. Named after US President Abraham Lincoln, it is the city's largest public park and stretches for seven miles (11 km) from Grand Avenue (500 N), on the south, ...

William D. Boyce William Dickson Boyce (June 16, 1858 – June 11, 1929) was an American newspaper man, entrepreneur, magazine publisher, and explorer. He was the founder of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) and the short-lived Lone Scouts of America (LSA). ...

, then a local resident, filed a Circuit Court action against the owners of the wheel to have it removed, but without success. It operated there from October 1895 until 1903, when it was again dismantled, then transported by rail to St. Louis for the

1904 World's Fair The Louisiana Purchase Exposition, informally known as the St. Louis World's Fair, was an World's fair, international exposition held in St. Louis, Missouri, United States, from April 30 to December 1, 1904. Local, state, and federal funds tota ...

and finally destroyed by controlled demolition using dynamite on May 11, 1906.

Antique Ferris wheels

The Wiener Riesenrad (

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) **Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ger ...

for "Viennese Giant Wheel") is a surviving example of 19th-century Ferris wheels. Erected in 1897 in the Wurstelprater section of

Prater The Prater () is a large public park in Leopoldstadt, Vienna, Austria. The Wurstelprater, an amusement park that is often simply called "Prater", lies in one corner of the Wiener Prater and includes the Wiener Riesenrad Ferris wheel. Name The n ...

public park in the Leopoldstadt district of

Vienna en, Viennese , iso_code = AT-9 , registration_plate = W , postal_code_type = Postal code , postal_code = , timezone = CET , utc_offset = +1 , timezone_DST ...

Austria Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populous ...

, to celebrate Emperor Franz Josef I's

Golden Jubilee A golden jubilee marks a 50th anniversary. It variously is applied to people, events, and nations. Bangladesh In Bangladesh, golden jubilee refers the 50th anniversary year of the separation from Pakistan and is called in Bengali ''"সু ...

, it has a height of and originally had 30 passenger cars. A demolition permit for the Riesenrad was issued in 1916, but due to a lack of funds with which to carry out the destruction, it survived. Following the demolition of the Grande Roue de Paris in 1920, the Riesenrad became the world's tallest extant Ferris wheel. In 1944 it burnt down, but was rebuilt the following year with 15 passenger cars, and remained the world's tallest extant wheel until its 97th year, when the Technocosmos was constructed for

Expo '85 Expo '85, officially called the , was a world's fair held in Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan (Tsukuba Science City, a planned city focused on technology north of Tokyo) between Sunday, March 17 and Monday, September 16, 1985. The theme of the fair was " ...

, at Tsukuba, Ibaraki,

Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...

. Still in operation today, it is one of Vienna's most popular

tourist attraction A tourist attraction is a place of interest that tourists visit, typically for its inherent or an exhibited natural or cultural value, historical significance, natural or built beauty, offering leisure and amusement. Types Places of natural b ...

s, and over the years has featured in numerous films (including ''Madame Solange d`Atalide'' (1914), ''

Letter from an Unknown Woman ''Letter from an Unknown Woman'' (german: Brief einer Unbekannten) is a novella by Stefan Zweig. Published in 1922, it tells the story of an author who, while reading a letter written by a woman he does not remember, gets glimpses into her lif ...

'' (1948), ''

The Third Man ''The Third Man'' is a 1949 British film noir directed by Carol Reed, written by Graham Greene and starring Joseph Cotten, Alida Valli, Orson Welles, and Trevor Howard. Set in postwar Vienna, the film centres on American Holly Martins (Cotten), ...

'' (1949), ''

The Living Daylights ''The Living Daylights'' is a 1987 spy film, the fifteenth entry in the ''James Bond'' series produced by Eon Productions, and the first of two to star Timothy Dalton as the fictional MI6 agent James Bond. Directed by John Glen, the film's ...

'' (1987), '' Before Sunrise'' (1995)) and novels.

World's tallest Ferris wheels

Chronology of world's tallest wheels * 1893: the original Ferris Wheel was tall. Built for the

Chicago, Illinois (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...

, it was moved to

St. Louis, Missouri St. Louis () is the second-largest city in Missouri, United States. It sits near the confluence of the Mississippi River, Mississippi and the Missouri Rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a population of 301,578, while the Greater St. Louis, ...

, in 1904 for the

Louisiana Purchase Exposition The Louisiana Purchase Exposition, informally known as the St. Louis World's Fair, was an World's fair, international exposition held in St. Louis, Missouri, United States, from April 30 to December 1, 1904. Local, state, and federal funds tota ...

, and demolished there in 1906. * 1895: the

Great Wheel The Great Wheel, also known as the Gigantic Wheel, or Graydon Wheel, was built for the Empire of India Exhibition at Earls Court, London, in the United Kingdom. Construction began in March 1894 at the works of Maudslay, Sons and Field in Greenw ...

was built for the Empire of India Exhibition at Earls Court,

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

, UK, and was tall. Construction began in March 1894 and it opened to the public on July 17, 1895. It stayed in service until 1906 and was demolished in 1907, having carried over 2.5 million passengers. * 1900: the Grande Roue de Paris was built for the Exposition Universelle, a world's fair held in

Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

. It was demolished in 1920, but its height was not surpassed until almost 90 years after its construction. * 1920: the Wiener Riesenrad was built to celebrate the

of Emperor Franz Josef I, at the entrance of the Wurstelprater amusement park in

's capital

Vienna en, Viennese , iso_code = AT-9 , registration_plate = W , postal_code_type = Postal code , postal_code = , timezone = CET , utc_offset = +1 , timezone_DST ...

. Constructed in 1897, when the Grande Roue de Paris was demolished in 1920, the Riesenrad became the world's tallest extant Ferris wheel with , and it remained so for the next 65 years until 1985, its 97th year. * 1985: Technocosmos, later renamed Technostar, was an 85-metre (279 ft) tall giant Ferris wheel, originally built for the Expo '85 World Fair in Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan. Work began on dismantling Technostar in November 2009. * 1989: the Cosmo Clock 21 was built for the YES '89 Yokohama Exposition at Minato Mirai 21,

Yokohama is the second-largest city in Japan by population and the most populous municipality of Japan. It is the capital city and the most populous city in Kanagawa Prefecture, with a 2020 population of 3.8 million. It lies on Tokyo Bay, south of To ...

. Originally constructed with a height of , it was dismantled in 1997 and then in 1999 relocated onto a taller base which increased its overall height to . * 1992: Igosu 108 at Biwako Tower,

Shiga is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located in the Kansai region of Honshu. Shiga Prefecture has a population of 1,412,916 (1 October 2015) and has a geographic area of . Shiga Prefecture borders Fukui Prefecture to the north, Gifu Pr ...

, opened April 26 at tall, hence its name. It has since been moved to Vietnam, where it opened as the Sun Wheel on a new base, now totaling tall. * 1997: the

Tempozan Ferris Wheel Tempozan Ferris Wheel is a 112 meter tall ferris wheel located in Osaka, Japan, at Tempozan Harbor Village, next to Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan, one of the largest aquariums in the world. The wheel has a height of and diameter of . Description Tem ...

, in

Osaka is a designated city in the Kansai region of Honshu in Japan. It is the capital of and most populous city in Osaka Prefecture, and the third most populous city in Japan, following Special wards of Tokyo and Yokohama. With a population of 2. ...

, opened to the public on July 13, and is tall. * 1999: the Daikanransha at Palette Town in

Odaiba today is a large artificial island in Tokyo Bay, Japan, across the Rainbow Bridge from central Tokyo. Odaiba was initially built in this area for defensive purposes in the 1850s. Reclaimed land offshore Shinagawa was dramatically expanded durin ...

, is tall. * 2000: the

London Eye The London Eye, or the Millennium Wheel, is a cantilevered observation wheel on the South Bank of the River Thames in London. It is Europe's tallest cantilevered observation wheel, and is the most popular paid tourist attraction in the United ...

, in

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...

, is tall. Although officially opened on December 31, 1999, it did not open to the public until March 2000, because of technical problems. * 2006: the Star of Nanchang, in Nanchang,

Jiangxi Jiangxi (; ; formerly romanized as Kiangsi or Chianghsi) is a landlocked province in the east of the People's Republic of China. Its major cities include Nanchang and Jiujiang. Spanning from the banks of the Yangtze river in the north int ...

Province,

China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...

, opened for business in May and is tall. * 2008: the

Singapore Flyer The Singapore Flyer; ta, சிங்கப்பூர் ராட்டினம் is an observation wheel at the Downtown Core district of Singapore. Officially opened on 15 April 2008, it has 28 air-conditioned capsules, each able to acco ...

, in

Singapore Singapore (), officially the Republic of Singapore, is a sovereign island country and city-state in maritime Southeast Asia. It lies about one degree of latitude () north of the equator, off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, borde ...

, is tall. It started rotating on February 11, and officially opened to the public on March 1, 2008. * 2014: the High Roller, in

, United States, is tall. It opened to the public on March 31, 2014. * 2021: the Ain Dubai in the

is . It opened to the public on October 21, 2021, and is currently the world's tallest Ferris wheel in operation. Timeline

ImageSize = width:850 height:258 PlotArea = left:180 bottom:99 top:0 right:10 Alignbars = justify DateFormat = dd/mm/yyyy Period = from:01/01/1890 till:01/07/2017 TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal format:yyyy Colors = id:tallestever value:blue legend:world's tallest ever at time of completion id:tallestextant1 value:pink legend:world's tallest extant 1920–1985 id:tallestextant2 value:green legend:world's tallest extant 1985–1989 Legend = orientation:vertical position:bottom columns:1 ScaleMajor = increment:5 start:1890 ScaleMinor = increment:1 start:1891 LineData = at:21/06/1893 color:blue layer:back at:17/07/1895 color:blue layer:back at:01/01/1900 color:blue layer:back at:01/01/1920 color:pink layer:back at:01/01/1985 color:green layer:back at:25/03/1989 color:blue layer:back at:12/07/1997 color:blue layer:back at:19/03/1999 color:blue layer:back at:09/03/2000 color:blue layer:back at:01/03/2006 color:blue layer:back at:01/03/2008 color:blue layer:back at:31/03/2014 color:blue layer:back BarData = bar:High text:"Ain Dubai - 210 m" bar:High text:"High Roller - 167.6 m" bar:Singapore text:"Singapore Flyer - 165 m" bar:Star text:"Star of Nanchang - 160 m" bar:London text: "London Eye - 135 m" bar:Daikanransha text:"Daikanransha - 115 m" bar:Tempozan text:"Tempozan Ferris Wheel - 112.5 m" bar:Igosu text:"Igosu 108 - 108 m" bar:Cosmo text:"Cosmo Clock 21 - 107.5 m" bar:Grande text:"Grande Roue de Paris - 96 m" bar:Great text:"Great Wheel - 94 m" bar:Techno text:"Technostar - 85 m" bar:Ferris text:"the original Ferris Wheel - 80.4 m" bar:Wiener text:"Wiener Riesenrad - 64.75 m" PlotData= width:10 textcolor:black align:left anchor:from shift:(10,-4) bar:High from:31/03/2014 till:end color:tallestever bar:Singapore from:01/03/2008 till:end color:tallestever bar:Star from:01/03/2006 till:end color:tallestever bar:London from:09/03/2000 till:end color:tallestever bar:Daikanransha from:19/03/1999 till:end color:tallestever bar:Tempozan from:12/07/1997 till:end color:tallestever bar:Igosu from:26/04/1992 till:01/09/2013 color:tallestever bar:Cosmo from:25/03/1989 till:end color:tallestever bar:Grande from:01/01/1900 till:01/01/1920 color:tallestever bar:Great from:07/07/1895 till:01/01/1907 color:tallestever bar:Techno from:01/01/1985 till:01/01/2009 color:tallestextant2 bar:Ferris from:21/06/1893 till:01/01/1906 color:tallestever bar:Wiener from:01/01/1897 till:end color:tallestextant1

Future wheels

Following the huge success of the

since it opened in 2000, giant Ferris wheels have been proposed for many other cities; however, a large number of these projects have stalled or failed.

Construction in progress

Abandoned projects

* The

Skyvue The Skyvue Las Vegas Super Wheel (also capitalized SkyVueskyvuelasvegas.com
) is an unfinished giant

Las Vegas Super Wheel (or SkyVue—the official website uses bothskyvuelasvegas.com
) was announced as being tall, and later reported as and . It was approved by Clark County Commission in March 2011, and announced at a groundbreaking ceremony in May 2011 that "We expect it to be up and running in time for New Year's 2012". The completion date for its construction on the

Las Vegas Strip The Las Vegas Strip is a stretch of Las Vegas Boulevard, Las Vegas Boulevard South in Clark County, Nevada, that is known for its concentration of resort hotels and casinos. The Strip, as it is known, is about long, and is immediately south of ...

was subsequently put back several times. , construction had stalled. The project was eventually canceled due to lack of funding and the property was put up for sale in 2020, and again in 2022. * The

New York Wheel The New York Wheel was a proposed Ferris wheel to be located at St. George in Staten Island, New York City, next to the Empire Outlets retail complex. The project was announced in 2012 as part of an initiative to make St. George into a touris ...

was first reported in June 2012 and officially announced by mayor

Michael Bloomberg Michael Rubens Bloomberg (born February 14, 1942) is an American businessman, politician, philanthropist, and author. He is the majority owner, co-founder and CEO of Bloomberg L.P. He was Mayor of New York City from 2002 to 2013, and was a ca ...

in September 2012. Construction at

Staten Island Staten Island ( ) is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Richmond County, in the U.S. state of New York. Located in the city's southwest portion, the borough is separated from New Jersey by the Arthur Kill and the Kill Van Kull an ...

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...

, alongside the planned

Empire Outlets Empire Outlets New York City is a retail complex in the St. George, Staten Island, St. George neighborhood of Staten Island in New York City. Construction on Empire Outlets started in 2015, and the complex opened on May 15, 2019. Tentative plans ...

retail complex, was originally planned to begin early in 2014, and completion was originally expected to be in 2015. In October 2014 it was reported that construction would not begin until 2015, with completion delayed until 2017. This was subsequently further pushed back to April 2018, and then delayed indefinitely after developer NY Wheel fired lead contractor Mammoet-Starneth LLC in July 2017 amid a legal dispute over missed design and construction deadlines. In May 2018, the developers of the New York Wheel were given a last chance to obtain funding for the project. As per a ruling in Delaware bankruptcy court, the developers had 120 days, or until September 5, to find funding; however, on September 7, 2018, it was announced that the New York Wheel would not receive $140 million in city funding. The delays caused concern among EB-5 visa investors, who would lose their visas if the project was not constructed. An amendment to the bankruptcy court's ruling gave the developers a final 120-day extension to look for funding. If the developers did not get funding by January 2019, the project would be canceled and no further funding extensions would be given. On September 21, 2018, mayor

Bill de Blasio Bill de Blasio (; born Warren Wilhelm Jr., May 8, 1961; later Warren de Blasio-Wilhelm) is an American politician who served as the 109th mayor of New York City from 2014 to 2021. A member of the Democratic Party, he held the office of New Yor ...

said that the now-$900-million project would not receive a bailout from the city because it was too risky to support the project with bonds. As such, the city would not support tax free status for a $380 million bond sale to complete the project. Investors refused to proceed with construction without city support, and stated that it would allow the parts for the Ferris wheel to be auctioned off if the city did not provide funding. Subsequently, investors decided to cancel the project. At this point, investors had spent $450 million on the project.

Quiescent proposals

Incomplete, delayed, stalled, cancelled, failed, or abandoned proposals: * The Moscow View, proposed in 2011, was to have featured 48 monorail-mounted passenger capsules, each able to carry 48 passengers, travelling around a centreless non-rotating rim. At that time the timeframe for its construction was unknown and its site within

Moscow Moscow ( , US chiefly ; rus, links=no, Москва, r=Moskva, p=mɐskˈva, a=Москва.ogg) is the capital and largest city of Russia. The city stands on the Moskva River in Central Russia, with a population estimated at 13.0 million ...

had yet to be selected, though candidates were said to include the

All-Russia Exhibition Centre Exhibition of Achievements of National Economy (russian: Выставка достижений народного хозяйства, ''Vystavka dostizheniy narodnogo khozyaystva'', abbreviated as VDNKh or VDNH, russian: ВДНХ, ) is a perman ...

, Gorky Park, Prospekt Vernadskogo, and Sparrow Hills. In December 2011 the project was reported to be stalled due to lack of City Hall approval. * The

Beijing Great Wheel The Beijing Great Wheel, () a tall giant Ferris wheel, was to have been constructed in eastern Beijing's Chaoyang Park, one of the 2008 Summer Olympics venues. If it had been built, it would have become the world's tallest Ferris wheel, superse ...

was originally due to begin construction in 2007 and to open in 2008, but went into

receivership In law, receivership is a situation in which an institution or enterprise is held by a receiver—a person "placed in the custodial responsibility for the property of others, including tangible and intangible assets and rights"—especially in ca ...

in 2010. It was one of at least five

Great Wheel Corporation Great Wheel Corporation was a company engaged in the development, building, financing, and operation of Ferris wheels, which they often termed "observation wheels" or "observation platforms". Great Wheel Corporation, registered in Singapore as GW ...

giant Ferris wheel projects which failed between 2007 and 2010. * The Baghdad Eye was proposed for

Baghdad Baghdad (; ar, بَغْدَاد , ) is the capital of Iraq and the second-largest city in the Arab world after Cairo. It is located on the Tigris near the ruins of the ancient city of Babylon and the Sassanid Persian capital of Ctesiphon ...

Iraq Iraq,; ku, عێراق, translit=Êraq officially the Republic of Iraq, '; ku, کۆماری عێراق, translit=Komarî Êraq is a country in Western Asia. It is bordered by Turkey to Iraq–Turkey border, the north, Iran to Iran–Iraq ...

, in August 2008. At that time, three possible locations had been identified, but no estimates of cost or completion date were given. In October 2008, it was reported that Al-Zawraa Park was expected to be the site, and a wheel was installed there in March 2011. * The Great Dubai Wheel proposed for

Dubailand Dubailand is an entertainment complex being built in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, which is owned by Tatweer (which belongs to Dubai Holding). When announced in 2003 it was one of the most ambitious leisure developments ever proposed anywhere in ...

Dubai Dubai (, ; ar, دبي, translit=Dubayy, , ) is the most populous city in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the capital of the Emirate of Dubai, the most populated of the 7 emirates of the United Arab Emirates.The Government and Politics of ...

, was granted planning permission in 2006 and expected to open in 2009, but it was subsequently confirmed that it would not be built. It was one of at least five

giant Ferris wheel projects which failed between 2007 and 2010. * The Voyager was proposed several times for

Las Vegas Las Vegas (; Spanish for "The Meadows"), often known simply as Vegas, is the 25th-most populous city in the United States, the most populous city in the state of Nevada, and the county seat of Clark County. The city anchors the Las Vegas ...

, Nevada. * The Bangkok Eye, to be located near the

Chao Phraya River The Chao Phraya ( or ; th, แม่น้ำเจ้าพระยา, , or ) is the major river in Thailand, with its low alluvial plain forming the centre of the country. It flows through Bangkok and then into the Gulf of Thailand. Et ...

Bangkok Bangkok, officially known in Thai language, Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon and colloquially as Krung Thep, is the capital and most populous city of Thailand. The city occupies in the Chao Phraya River delta in central Thailand and has an estima ...

Thailand Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 million. The country is bo ...

, was announced by the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration on October 13, 2010, at which time the actual site and means of funding the 30-billion

baht The baht (; th, บาท, ; currency sign, sign: ฿; ISO 4217, code: THB) is the official currency of Thailand. It is divided into 100 ''satang'' (, ). The issuance of currency is the responsibility of the Bank of Thailand. Society for Worldw ...

project had yet to be determined. Aussichtsrad-berlin 03

* The

Great Berlin Wheel The Great Berlin Wheel was a giant Ferris wheel to be built near the Berlin Zoological Garden (Zoologischer Garten Berlin) in Berlin, Germany, by the Great Wheel Corporation. It was originally planned to be tall, with 36 passenger capsules, but ...

was originally planned to open in 2008 but the project encountered financial obstacles. It was one of at least five

giant Ferris wheel projects which failed between 2007 and 2010. * The Jeddah Eye was proposed in 2008, as part of a development scheduled to open in 2012 in

Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia, officially the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), is a country in Western Asia. It covers the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and has a land area of about , making it the fifth-largest country in Asia, the second-largest in the A ...

. Construction was to have begun in 2009, but there were no subsequent announcements. It was one of at least five

giant Ferris wheel projects which failed between 2007 and 2010. * A Ferris wheel project involving

Tussauds Madame Tussauds (, ) is a wax museum founded in 1835 by French wax sculptor Marie Tussaud in London, spawning similar museums in major cities around the world. While it used to be spelled as "Madame Tussaud's"; the apostrophe is no longer use ...

was considered for

's South Street Seaport in 2004, but was never built. * The

Great Orlando Wheel The Great Orlando Wheel (or Orlando Great Wheel) is one of at least five Great Wheel Corporation proposed giant Ferris wheel projects which failed between 2007 and 2010. It was to have been constructed near Orlando in Orange County, Florida, Uni ...

was announced in June 2008 but then suspended in early 2009 after losing its funding. It was one of at least five

giant Ferris wheel projects which failed between 2007 and 2010. * The

Kolkata Eye Kolkata Eye (or Calcutta Eye) was the proposed name for a giant Ferris wheel which it was hoped would be constructed in Kolkata, West Bengal, India. It was announced in 2011, and in May 2014 Mamata Banerjee, Chief Minister of West Bengal, state ...

was first proposed in 2011 for construction on the banks of

Hooghly River The Bhagirathi Hooghly River (Anglicized alternatively spelled ''Hoogli'' or ''Hugli'') or the 'Bhāgirathi-Hooghly', called the Ganga or the Kati-Ganga in mythological texts, is the eastern distributary of the Ganges River in West Bengal, Indi ...

Kolkata Kolkata (, or , ; also known as Calcutta , the official name until 2001) is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal, on the eastern bank of the Hooghly River west of the border with Bangladesh. It is the primary business, comme ...

West Bengal West Bengal (, Bengali: ''Poshchim Bongo'', , abbr. WB) is a state in the eastern portion of India. It is situated along the Bay of Bengal, along with a population of over 91 million inhabitants within an area of . West Bengal is the fourt ...

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...

. Favoured by

Mamata Banerjee Mamata Banerjee (; born 5 January 1955) is an Indian politician who is serving as the eighth and current List of chief ministers of West Bengal, chief minister of the States and union territories of India, Indian state of West Bengal since 20 ...

Chief Minister A chief minister is an elected or appointed head of government of – in most instances – a sub-national entity, for instance an administrative subdivision or federal constituent entity. Examples include a state (and sometimes a union terri ...

, the project was originally valued at 100 crore rupees. This had risen to 300 crore rupees by May 2014 when Banerjee tweeted is expected to be ready in a year's time". In January 2015 ''

The Times of India ''The Times of India'', also known by its abbreviation ''TOI'', is an Indian English-language daily newspaper and digital news media owned and managed by The Times Group. It is the third-largest newspaper in India by circulation and largest ...

'' reported that the project was "still a pipe dream". * A wheel for

Manchester Manchester () is a city in Greater Manchester, England. It had a population of 552,000 in 2021. It is bordered by the Cheshire Plain to the south, the Pennines to the north and east, and the neighbouring city of Salford to the west. The t ...

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...

, was proposed by

Manchester City Council Manchester City Council is the local authority for Manchester, a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. Manchester is the sixth largest city in England by population. Its city council is composed of 96 councillors, three ...

in 2010 as a replacement for the transportable

Wheel of Manchester The Wheel of Manchester was a transportable Ferris wheel installation at Piccadilly Gardens, Manchester, England. The wheel was originally a smaller installation based in Exchange Square, first assembled in 2004. The wheel's size was increased to ...

installation, with

Piccadilly Gardens Piccadilly Gardens is a green space in Manchester city centre, England, on the edge of the Northern Quarter. It takes its name from the adjacent street, Piccadilly, which runs across the city centre from Market Street to London Road. The ga ...

the possible site and completion expected by Christmas 2011. * The

Eye on Malaysia Eye on Malaysia was a transportable Ferris wheel installation in Malaysia. It began operating in Kuala Lumpur in 2007, and was then moved to Malacca in 2008, where it operated until 2010. Most sources credit Eye of Malaysia with an overall height ...

, a Chinese-manufactured wheel with 54 passenger gondolas, was scheduled to begin operating in April 2013 at

Malacca Island Malacca Island ( ms, Pulau Melaka) is a man-made island in Malacca, Malaysia. It is part of the “Twin Island City Centre” project undertaken by Pulau Kembar Sdn Bhd., a subsidiary of Talam Corporation Berhad. This waterfront development projec ...

Malaysia Malaysia ( ; ) is a country in Southeast Asia. The federation, federal constitutional monarchy consists of States and federal territories of Malaysia, thirteen states and three federal territories, separated by the South China Sea into two r ...

. In November 2012, Chief Minister of the state of

Malacca Malacca ( ms, Melaka) is a state in Malaysia located in the southern region of the Malay Peninsula, next to the Strait of Malacca. Its capital is Malacca City, dubbed the Historic City, which has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site si ...

Datuk Seri

Mohd Ali Rustam Tun Seri Setia Dr. Haji Mohd. Ali bin Mohd. Rustam ( ms, محمد علي بن محمد رستم, label= Jawi, script=arab, italic=unset; born 24 August 1949) is a Malaysian politician who has served as the 7th Yang di-Pertua Negeri of Malacca ...

stated that the installation of piles had brought the RM40 million wheel to 15 per cent of completion, and that "the installation of the wheel structure will begin in February

013 013 is a music venue in Tilburg, the Netherlands. The venue opened in 1998 and replaced the ''Noorderligt'', the ''Bat Cave'' and the ''MuziekKantenWinkel''. 013 is the largest popular music venue in the southern Netherlands. There are two concer ...

" Mohd Ali Rustam had previously announced the Malaysia Eye, which conflicting reports stated would be or tall, also to be sourced from China and located at Malacca Island, and to have 54 air-conditioned gondolas, each able to carry six people. It was scheduled to open on December 1, 2011, but was never built. * A wheel planned for

, for 2008, was never constructed. * The Pepsi Globe was proposed for the planned Meadowlands complex in

New Jersey New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delaware ...

in February 2008 and originally due to open in 2009, then put on hold until 2010. It has since been further delayed, and construction of the host complex, originally due to be completed in 2007, has been stalled since 2009 due to financing problems. Nippon Moon, described as a "giant observation wheel" by its designers, was reported in September 2013 to be "currently in development". At that time, its height was "currently undisclosed", but "almost twice the scale of the wheel in London". Its location, an unspecified Japanese city, was "currently under wraps", and its funding had "yet to be entirely secured". Commissioned by Ferris Wheel Investment Co., Ltd., and designed by UNStudio in collaboration with Arup, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, and Experientia, it was expected to have 32 individually themed capsules and take 40 minutes to rotate once. The Shanghai Star, initially planned as a tall wheel to be built by 2005, was revised to , with a completion date set in 2007, but then cancelled in 2006 due to "political incorrectness". An earlier proposal for a structure, the Shanghai Kiss, with capsules ascending and descending a pair of towers which met at their peaks instead of a wheel, was deemed too expensive at £100m. Rus-3000, a wheel planned to open in 2004 in

, has since been reported cancelled. Subsequently, an approximately wheel was considered for Gorky Central Park of Culture and Leisure, and a wheel proposed for location near Sparrow Hills. Another giant wheel planned for Prospekt Vernadskogo for 2002 was also never built.

Variants

Finniar SkyWheel Helsinki (Ferris wheel) (2)

Indoor Ferris wheels

At some malls and amusement parks indoor Ferris wheels were realized. The largest of its kind has a diametre of 47.6 metres and is situated in the 95 metres high Alem Cultural and Entertainment Center in

Ashgabat Ashgabat or Asgabat ( tk, Aşgabat, ; fa, عشق‌آباد, translit='Ešqābād, formerly named Poltoratsk ( rus, Полтора́цк, p=pəltɐˈratsk) between 1919 and 1927), is the capital and the largest city of Turkmenistan. It lies ...

Motorised capsules

Wheels with passenger cars mounted external to the rim and independently rotated by electric motors, as opposed to wheels with cars suspended from the rim and kept upright by gravity, are uncommon. Typically they are called 'Observation wheels' but there is no standardised terminology. Only a few Ferris wheels with motorised capsules have been built. * The Ain Dubai, world's current tallest observation wheel. * The High Roller, world's tallest from 2014 to 2021, has externally mounted motorised capsules of a transparent spherical design, and is described as both a Ferris wheel and an observation wheel by the media. * The

has

cylindrical A cylinder (from ) has traditionally been a three-dimensional solid, one of the most basic of curvilinear geometric shapes. In elementary geometry, it is considered a prism with a circle as its base. A cylinder may also be defined as an infini ...

externally mounted motorised capsules and is described as an observation wheel by its operators, but was also credited as "world's largest Ferris wheel" by the media when it opened in 2008. * The

, typically described as a "giant Ferris wheel" by the media, has ovoidal externally mounted motorised capsules and is the "world's tallest cantilevered observation wheel" according to its operators, who claim "The London Eye is often mistakenly called a Ferris wheel. This is not the case: first, the passenger capsules are completely enclosed and are climate controlled; secondly, the capsules are positioned on the outside of the wheel structure and are fully motorised; and third, the entire structure is supported by an A-frame on one side only."; however the Singapore Flyer subsequently billed itself as the "world's largest observation wheel", despite being supported on both sides, and the official londoneye.com website also refers to the London Eye as "Europe's tallest Ferris wheel". Southern Star Complete

* The

Melbourne Star The Melbourne Star (previously Southern Star) is a 120 metre tall observation wheel in the Waterfront City precinct in the Docklands area of Melbourne, the state capital of Victoria, Australia. Described by its operators as "the Southern Hemi ...

(previously the Southern Star) in

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

has ovoidal externally mounted motorised capsules and is described by its operators as "the only observation wheel in the southern hemisphere", but also as a Ferris wheel by the media. Official conceptual renderings of the proposed

also show a wheel equipped with externally mounted motorised capsules.

Centreless wheels

In the centreless (sometimes called hubless or spokeless) wheel design, there is no central hub and the rim of the wheel stays fixed in place. Instead, each car travels around the circumference of the rim. The first centreless wheel built was the

Big O Big O or The Big O may refer to: Fiction * ''The Big O'', a 1999 Japanese animated TV series Mathematics and computing * Big Omega function (disambiguation), various arithmetic functions in number theory * Big O notation, asymptotic behavior in ...

Tokyo Dome City , referred to as Big Egg City before January 1, 2000, is an entertainment complex in Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan. It also includes the world's largest roofed baseball stadium, known as Tokyo Dome (AKA "Big Egg"); an amusement park known as Tokyo Dome ...

in Japan. Its height has since been surpassed by the high

Bailang River Bridge Ferris Wheel The Bailang River Bridge Ferris Wheel is a centreless non-rotating Ferris wheel built on the Bailang River Bridge that crosses the Bailing river in Weifang, Shandong, China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a coun ...

on the upper deck of the Bailang River Bridge in

Shandong Province Shandong ( , ; ; alternately romanized as Shantung) is a coastal province of the People's Republic of China and is part of the East China region. Shandong has played a major role in Chinese history since the beginning of Chinese civilizatio ...

, China, which opened in 2017. The first centreless wheel in North America opened in January 2019 at the indoor Méga Parc in

Quebec City Quebec City ( or ; french: Ville de Québec), officially Québec (), is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Quebec. As of July 2021, the city had a population of 549,459, and the Communauté métrop ...

, Canada. The wheel at Méga Parc was designed and manufactured by Larson International.

Transportable wheels

Transportable Ferris wheels are designed to be operated at multiple locations, as opposed to fixed wheels which are usually intended for permanent installation. Small transportable designs may be permanently mounted on

trailers Trailer may refer to: a Transportation * Trailer (vehicle), an unpowered vehicle pulled by a powered vehicle ** Bicycle trailer, a wheeled frame for hitching to a bicycle to tow cargo or passengers ** Full-trailer ** Semi-trailer **Horse trailer ...

, and can be moved intact. Larger transportable wheels are designed to be repeatedly dismantled and rebuilt, some using water ballast instead of the permanent foundations of their fixed counterparts. Fixed wheels are also sometimes dismantled and relocated. Larger examples include the original Ferris Wheel, which operated at two sites in

Chicago, Illinois (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...

, and a third in

; Technocosmos/Technostar, which moved to

Expoland Expoland, located in Suita, Japan was opened as the amusement zone at the International Exposition in 1970 (Expo '70) in Osaka and thrived for over 30 years as an amusement park. There were more than 40 rides and attractions (including 8 roller ...

, after

, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, for which it was built, ended; and Cosmo Clock 21, which added onto its original height when erected for the second time at Minato Mirai 21,

, in 1999. The world's tallest transportable wheel is the

Bussink Design Ronald A. Bussink has been a leading designer of giant Ferris wheels and similar structures for over 25 years. Bussink entered the amusement industry market in 1985 and designed, manufactured, and delivered more than 60 giant observation wheel ...

R80XL The Bussink Design R80XL is a type of giant Ferris wheel. It was designed by Bussink Design founder and CEO Ronald Bussink, and is manufactured under licence from Bussink Design GmbH of Switzerland by Maurer German Wheels and Chance American Whe ...

One of the most famous transportable wheels is the

Roue de Paris The Roue de Paris is a tall transportable Ferris wheel, originally installed on the Place de la Concorde in Paris, France, for the 2000 millennium celebrations. It left Paris in 2002 and has since then seen service at numerous other locations a ...

, originally installed on the

Place de la Concorde The Place de la Concorde () is one of the major public squares in Paris, France. Measuring in area, it is the largest square in the French capital. It is located in the city's eighth arrondissement, at the eastern end of the Champs-Élysées. ...

for the 2000

millennium A millennium (plural millennia or millenniums) is a period of one thousand years, sometimes called a kiloannum (ka), or kiloyear (ky). Normally, the word is used specifically for periods of a thousand years that begin at the starting point (ini ...

celebrations. Roue de Paris left

in 2002 and in 2003–04 operated in

Birmingham Birmingham ( ) is a city and metropolitan borough in the metropolitan county of West Midlands in England. It is the second-largest city in the United Kingdom with a population of 1.145 million in the city proper, 2.92 million in the West ...

and

. In 2005 it visited first

Geleen Geleen (; li, Gelaen ) is a city in the southern part of the province of Limburg (Netherlands), Limburg in the Netherlands. With 31,670 inhabitants in 2020, it is part of the municipality of Sittard-Geleen. Geleen is situated along the river Gele ...

then

Amsterdam Amsterdam ( , , , lit. ''The Dam on the River Amstel'') is the Capital of the Netherlands, capital and Municipalities of the Netherlands, most populous city of the Netherlands, with The Hague being the seat of government. It has a population ...

Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Netherl ...

, before returning to England to operate at

Gateshead Gateshead () is a large town in northern England. It is on the River Tyne's southern bank, opposite Newcastle upon Tyne, Newcastle to which it is joined by seven bridges. The town contains the Gateshead Millennium Bridge, Millennium Bridge, Sage ...

. In 2006 it was erected at the

Suan Lum Night Bazaar Suan Lum Night Bazaar was a market in Bangkok's Pathum Wan district, at the intersection of Rama IV and Wireless/Sathorn Roads, opposite Lumphini Park at the MRT's Lumphini Station. Located on land owned by the Crown Property Bureau. It opened in ...

, and by 2008 had made its way to

Antwerp Antwerp (; nl, Antwerpen ; french: Anvers ; es, Amberes) is the largest city in Belgium by area at and the capital of Antwerp Province in the Flemish Region. With a population of 520,504,

Belgium Belgium, ; french: Belgique ; german: Belgien officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. The country is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast, France to th ...

. Roue de Paris is a

Ronald Bussink Ronald A. Bussink has been a leading designer of giant Ferris wheels and similar structures for over 25 years. Bussink entered the amusement industry market in 1985 and designed, manufactured, and delivered more than 60 giant observation wheel ...

series R60 design using of water ballast to provide a stable base. The R60 weighs , and can be erected in 72 hours and dismantled in 60 hours by a specialist team. Transport requires seven 20-foot container lorries, ten open trailer lorries, and one closed trailer lorry. Its 42-passenger cars can be loaded either 3 or 6 at a time, and each car can carry 8 people. Bussink R60 wheels have operated in Australia (

Brisbane Brisbane ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the states and territories of Australia, Australian state of Queensland, and the list of cities in Australia by population, third-most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a populati ...

), Canada (

Niagara Falls Niagara Falls () is a group of three waterfalls at the southern end of Niagara Gorge, spanning the border between the province of Ontario in Canada and the state of New York in the United States. The largest of the three is Horseshoe Falls, ...

), France (

), Malaysia ( Kuala Lumpur & Malacca), México (

Puebla Puebla ( en, colony, settlement), officially Free and Sovereign State of Puebla ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Puebla), is one of the 32 states which comprise the Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided into 217 municipalities and its cap ...

), UK (

Belfast Belfast ( , ; from ga, Béal Feirste , meaning 'mouth of the sand-bank ford') is the capital and largest city of Northern Ireland, standing on the banks of the River Lagan on the east coast. It is the 12th-largest city in the United Kingdo ...

Sheffield Sheffield is a city status in the United Kingdom, city in South Yorkshire, England, whose name derives from the River Sheaf which runs through it. The city serves as the administrative centre of the City of Sheffield. It is Historic counties o ...

), US (

Atlanta Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,715 ...

, Myrtle Beach), and elsewhere. Other notable transportable wheels include the

Steiger Ferris Wheel The Steiger Ferris Wheel is a tall transportable Ferris wheel. It began operating in 1980, and at that time was the world's tallest transportable wheel, a record documented in the Guinness Book of Records. The world's tallest transportable wheel ...

, which was the world's tallest transportable wheel when it began operating in 1980. It has 42 passenger cars, and weighs 450 tons. On October 11, 2010, it collapsed at the Kramermarkt in

Oldenburg Oldenburg may also refer to: Places *Mount Oldenburg, Ellsworth Land, Antarctica *Oldenburg (city), an independent city in Lower Saxony, Germany **Oldenburg (district), a district historically in Oldenburg Free State and now in Lower Saxony *Olde ...

Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...

, during deconstruction.

Double and triple wheels

A double Ferris wheel designed to include a horizontal turntable was patented in 1939 by John F. Courtney, working for Velare & Courtney. In Courtney's design, there were two independent Ferris wheels, each rotating at either end of a cantilever arm. The cantilever arm was supported in the middle by a tall vertical support, and the cantilever arm itself rotated around its middle pivot point. The design was similar to the earlier Aeriocycle, but the double wheel patented by Courtney allowed the cantilever arm to make a complete rotation, while the Aeriocycle was limited to a seesaw motion. Courtney continued to file additional patents on improved designs through the 1950s to make them more portable, and at about the same time, the Velare brothers patented the "Space Wheel", a side-by-side double with four total Ferris wheels. The design was later sold to the Allan Herschell Company in 1959 and marketed as the "Sky Wheel"; the first sale as the Sky Wheel was to 20th Century Rides in October 1960. The Sky Wheel seated up to 32 riders in 16 two-person cars, with 8 cars per wheel, and riders reached a peak of approximately . The height and popularity of the Sky Wheel was eclipsed by larger single wheels in the late 1980s and early 1990s, and it has since largely disappeared from common use. , there are four known Sky Wheels that remain in operation. In March 1966, Thomas Glen Robinson and Ralph G. Robinson received a patent for a Planetary Amusement Ride, which was a distinct double wheel design. In the Robinsons' patent, the cantilever arm was bent at a slightly obtuse angle, and the cars were carried on a spoked "spider" rotating structure at each end of the cantilever. With the obtuse-angle cantilever, one spider could be lowered to the ground in a horizontal plane so that all the cars on that spider could be unloaded and loaded simultaneously, while the spider on the other end of the cantilever would continue to rotate in a near-vertical plane. Robinson sold two of these rides – Astrowheel, which operated at the former Six Flags Astroworld in

Houston, Texas Houston (; ) is the most populous city in Texas, the most populous city in the Southern United States, the fourth-most populous city in the United States, and the sixth-most populous city in North America, with a population of 2,304,580 in ...

, and

Galaxy A galaxy is a system of stars, stellar remnants, interstellar gas, dust, dark matter, bound together by gravity. The word is derived from the Greek ' (), literally 'milky', a reference to the Milky Way galaxy that contains the Solar System. ...

, which operated at

Six Flags Magic Mountain Six Flags Magic Mountain, formerly known and colloquially referred to as simply Magic Mountain, is a amusement park located in Valencia, California, northwest of downtown Los Angeles. It opened on May 29, 1971, as a development of the Newha ...

Valencia, California Valencia is an unincorporated community in northwestern Los Angeles County, California. This area, with major commercial and industrial parks, straddles State Route 126 and the Santa Clara River. Development projects continue to be built in ...

. Both were manufactured by Astron International Corporation. Astrowheel was part of the original lineup of rides when Astroworld opened in 1968; it was removed in 1981 to make way for the Warp 10 ride. Astrowheel had an eight-spoked spider at the end of each arm, and each tip had a separate car for eight cars in total on each end. In contrast, Galaxy had double the capacity with a four-spoked spider at the end of each arm; each tip bore an independent four-spoked sub-spider for sixteen cars in total on each end. Like Astrowheel, Galaxy was part of the lineup at Magic Mountain when the park opened in 1971, and was removed in 1980 when Six Flags took over ownership of both parks. File:Giant Wheel.jpg,

Giant Wheel A Ferris wheel (also called a Giant Wheel or an observation wheel) is an amusement ride consisting of a rotating upright wheel with multiple passenger-carrying components (commonly referred to as passenger cars, cabins, tubs, gondolas, capsules ...

, a Waagner-Biro/Intamin double wheel File:Scorpion (Abandoned) (23706758666).jpg, Abandoned Scorpion at

Parque de la Ciudad The Parque de la Ciudad ( en, City Park) is a former amusement park in the Villa Soldati neighborhood of Buenos Aires, Argentina. History The park was planned by the administration of Mayor Osvaldo Cacciatore in 1978. Cacciatore, appointed by ...

(2015) File:Sky Whirl 2.jpg,

Sky Whirl Sky Whirl was the name of two amusement rides which featured triple Ferris wheels. Both debuted in 1976 at the California's Great America (in Santa Clara, California) and Six Flags Great America (in Gurnee, Illinois) amusement parks. The ride i ...

, a triple wheel at

Gurnee Gurnee ( ) is a village in Lake County, Illinois, United States. Its population was 30,706 as of the 2020 census. It borders the city of Waukegan, and is a popular tourist attraction within the Chicago metropolitan area. Best known for being th ...

Swiss broker

Intamin Intamin Amusement Rides is a design and manufacturing company in Schaan, Liechtenstein. It is best known for creating thrill rides and roller coasters worldwide. The Intamin brand name is a syllabic abbreviation for "international amusement ins ...

marketed a similar series of double wheels manufactured by

Waagner-Biro Waagner Biro is a Vienna-based group of companies formerly part of the same group which have developed into separately owned, independent companies operating in steel and mechanical engineering. Collectively, the companies have about 1000 employees ...

, comprising a vertical column supporting a straight cantilever arm, with each end of the cantilever arm ending in a spoked Ferris wheel. The first Intamin produced was

at Hersheypark in Hershey, Pennsylvania, which operated from 1973 to 2004. Other double wheels made by Waagner-Biro/Intamin include Zodiac (

Kings Island Kings Island is a amusement park located northeast of Cincinnati in Mason, Ohio, United States. Owned and operated by Cedar Fair, the park first opened in 1972 by the Taft Broadcasting Company. It was part of a larger effort to move and expan ...

, Mason, Ohio; 1975–86; moved to

Wonderland Sydney Wonderland Sydney (originally known as Australia's Wonderland), was an amusement park in Eastern Creek, Sydney, Australia. Officially opened in December 1985 by the Premier of New South Wales, Neville Wran, the park was the largest in the southe ...

and operated 1989–2004), Scorpion (

Buenos Aires, Argentina Buenos Aires ( or ; ), officially the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires ( es, link=no, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires), is the capital and primate city of Argentina. The city is located on the western shore of the Río de la Plata, on South ...

; 1982–2003), and Double Wheel (

Kuwait Entertainment City Kuwait Entertainment City (Arabic: مدينة الكويت الترفيهية) was an amusement park located in the western outskirts of Kuwait City, the capital of Kuwait. It first opened on and was run by the Kuwait-based Touristic Enterpri ...

Kuwait City, Kuwait Kuwait City ( ar, مدينة الكويت) is the capital and largest city of Kuwait. Located at the heart of the country on the south shore of Kuwait Bay on the Persian Gulf, it is the political, cultural and economical centre of the emirate, ...

; 1984–91). A triple variant was custom designed for the Marriott Corporation and debuted at both Marriott's Great America parks (now Six Flags Great America, Gurnee, Illinois, and

California's Great America California's Great America, often shortened to Great America, is a amusement park located in Santa Clara, California. Owned and operated by Cedar Fair, it originally opened in 1976 as one of two parks built by the Marriott Corporation. Califor ...

, Santa Clara) in 1976 as

. Each ride had three main components: the three spiders/wheels with their passenger cars; the triple-spoked supporting arm; and the single central supporting column. Each wheel rotated about one of the three ends of the supporting arm. The supporting arm would in turn rotate around its central hub as a single unit about the top of the supporting column. The axis about which the supporting arm turned was offset from vertical (i.e., the plane of rotation was not horizontal), so that as the supporting arm rotated, each wheel was raised and lowered. When lowered, one wheel was horizontal at ground level. At the same time, the other wheels remained raised and continued to rotate in a near-vertical plane at considerable height. The lowered horizontal wheel was brought to a standstill for simultaneous loading and unloading of all its passenger cars. The Sky Whirl was also known as a triple Ferris wheel, Triple Giant Wheel, or Triple Tree Wheel; it was in height. The Sky Whirl in Santa Clara was filmed for a memorable rescue scene in '' Beverly Hills Cop III'' (renamed to "The Spider" for the film). The Santa Clara ride, renamed Triple Wheel in post-Marriott years, closed on September 1, 1997. The Gurnee ride closed in 2000. Two triple wheels were built for Asian clients: Tree Triple Wheel at

Seibu-en is an amusement park located near Tokyo in Tokorozawa, Saitama Prefecture. It is just outside the Seibuen-yūenchi Station, which is also owned and operated by the Seibu Railway. The park underwent a significant expansion and redesign for the 2 ...

(

Tokorozawa, Saitama is a city located in Saitama Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 344,194 in 163,675 households and a population density of 4800 persons per km². The total area of the city is . Geography Tokorozawa is located in the ce ...

, Japan; 1985–2004) and Hydra at

Lotte World Lotte World is a major recreation complex in Seoul, South Korea. It consists of the world's largest indoor theme park, an outdoor amusement park called "Magic Island", an artificial island inside a lake linked by monorail, shopping malls, a lu ...

( Seoul, South Korea; 1989–97).

Eccentric wheels

An eccentric wheel (sometimes called a sliding wheel or coaster wheel) differs from a conventional Ferris wheel in that some or all of its passenger cars are not fixed directly to the rim of the wheel, but instead slide on rails between the rim and the hub as the wheel rotates. The two most famous eccentric wheels are

Wonder Wheel The Wonder Wheel is a eccentric Ferris wheel at Deno's Wonder Wheel Amusement Park at Coney Island in the New York City borough of Brooklyn. The wheel is located on a plot bounded by West 12th Street to the west, Bowery Street to the north, ...

, at Deno's Wonder Wheel Amusement Park,

, US, and

Pixar Pal-A-Round Pixar Pal-A-Round (formerly known as the Sun Wheel and Mickey's Fun Wheel) is a eccentric wheel at Disney California Adventure, at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California. The attraction opened to the public on February 8, 2001 at Paradis ...

(previously Sun Wheel and Mickey's Fun Wheel), at

Disney California Adventure Disney California Adventure Park, commonly referred to as California Adventure or by its acronym DCA, is a theme park located at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California. It is owned and operated by The Walt Disney Company through its Park ...

, US. The latter is a replica of the former. There is a second replica in

Yokohama Dreamland Yokohama Dreamland was an amusement park that operated in Totsuka, Yokohama, Japan from 1964 to 2002. The management company, Japan Dream Tourism, was acquired by the supermarket chain Daiei in 1993, and the amusement park closed permanently ...

is tall and has 24 fully enclosed passenger cars, each able to carry six passengers. Each passenger car is decorated with the face of a Pixar character. Sixteen slide inward and outward as the wheel rotates, the remainder are fixed to the rim. There are separate boarding queues for sliding and fixed cars, so that passengers may choose between the two. Inspired by

's 1920 Wonder Wheel, it was designed by Walt Disney Imagineering and

Waagner Biro Waagner Biro is a Vienna-based group of companies formerly part of the same group which have developed into separately owned, independent companies operating in steel and mechanical engineering. Collectively, the companies have about 1000 employees ...

, completed in 2001 as the Sun Wheel, later refurbished and reopened in 2009 as Mickey's Fun Wheel, and again rethemed as Pixar Pal-A-Round in 2018.

was built in 1920, is tall, and can carry 144 people. File:Ferris.jpg, Hermann Eccentric Ferris Wheel with sliding cars, from US patent 1354436, 1915; forerunner of the 1920 Wonder Wheel, there is no record of it ever being built File:WonderWheelNewYork.jpg,

, a tall eccentric wheel at Deno's Wonder Wheel Amusement Park,

, was built in 1920 by the Eccentric Ferris Wheel Company File:ParadisePier2010.JPG,

's Pixar Pal-A-Round, an eccentric wheel modelled on Wonder Wheel, was built in 2001 as Sun Wheel and became Mickey's Fun Wheel in 2009 and currently

in 2018

Gallery of notable wheels

File:CosmoClock21 2006-05-21.JPG, Cosmo Clock 21, world's tallest wheel 1989 to 1997 File:Wheel of the Pioneers - Minitalia Leolandia Park.jpg, Ruota dei Pionieri, Minitalia Leolandia Park, Italy (manufactured by Zamperla) File:Drive-in Wheel.jpg, Four-car 30 m tall drive-in Ferris wheel at

Harbourfront Harbourfront may refer to: * Harbourfront (Toronto), a neighbourhood in Toronto ** 509 Harbourfront, Toronto streetcar route **Harbourfront Centre, cultural organization on the waterfront of Toronto * HarbourFront (Singapore), waterfront site in Si ...

, Toronto, Canada, in 2004 File:WSJ2007 Swedish Wheel.JPG, A wheel constructed by the Swedish contingent at the

21st World Scout Jamboree The 21st World Scout Jamboree was held in July and August 2007, and formed a part of the Scouting 2007 Centenary celebrations of the world Scout Movement. The event was hosted by the United Kingdom, as 2007 marked the 100th anniversary of the found ...

File:Cyclecide-ferris-wheel-Bumbershoot07.jpg, Passenger-powered 2-seat Cyclecide wheel at the 2007

Bumbershoot Bumbershoot is an annual international music and arts festival held in Seattle, Washington. One of North America's largest such festivals, it takes place every Labor Day weekend (leading up to and including the first Monday of September) at the ...

festival in

Seattle Seattle ( ) is a seaport city on the West Coast of the United States. It is the seat of King County, Washington. With a 2020 population of 737,015, it is the largest city in both the state of Washington and the Pacific Northwest regio ...

File:Ferris wheel in the Park Divo Ostrov, St. Petersburg.jpg, Ferris wheel in the Park Divo Ostrov, St. Petersburg File:Bay Glory Shenzhen 2021-02-07.jpg, Bay Glory in Bao'an Seashore Cultural Park,

Shenzhen Shenzhen (; ; ; ), also historically known as Sham Chun, is a major sub-provincial city and one of the special economic zones of China. The city is located on the east bank of the Pearl River estuary on the central coast of southern province ...

, China, in 2021

Major designers, manufacturers, and operators

Allan Herschell Company (merged with

Chance Rides Chance Rides Manufacturing is a roller coaster and amusement ride manufacturer. The company was formed on May 16, 2002, when the former Chance Industries Inc. emerged from bankruptcy. The main office and manufacturing facility are located in Wic ...

in 1970) :*Seattle Wheel (debuted 1962): 16 cars, 2 passengers per car :*Sky Wheel (debuted 1939; also manufactured by

): a double wheel, with the wheels rotating about opposite ends of a pair of parallel beams, and the beams rotating about their centres; 8 cars per wheel, 2 passengers per car

Chance Morgan Chance Morgan Coasters, Inc. is a roller coaster and amusement ride manufacturer. It was formed on June 14, 2001 when Michael Chance, grandson of Chance Rides founder Richard H. Chance, acquired the assets of roller coaster builder D. H. Morg ...

/ Chance Wheels / Chance American Wheels :*Astro Wheel (debuted 1967): 16 cars (8 facing one way, 8 the other), 2 passengers per car :*Century Wheel: tall, 15 cars, 4-6 passengers per car :*Giant Wheel: tall, 20 cars, 6-8 passengers per car :* Niagara SkyWheel (2006): tall, 42 air-conditioned cars, 8 passengers per car :*

Myrtle Beach SkyWheel The Myrtle Beach Skywheel is a observation wheel located in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, that opened May 20, 2011. At the time of its opening was the second-tallest extant Ferris wheel in North America, after the Texas Star in Dallas, and the t ...

(2011): tall, 42 air-conditioned cars, 6 passengers per car ; Eli Bridge Company :Contemporary models include: :*Signature Series: 16 cars, 3 passengers per car; transportable :*Eagle Series: 16 cars, 3 passengers per car; transportable :*HY-5 Series: 12 cars, 3 passengers per car; transportable :*Aristocrat Series: 16 cars, fixed site :*Standard Series: 12 cars, fixed site :*Lil' Wheel: 6 cars, 3 passengers per car; transportable and fixed site models

(merged with World Tourist Attractions in 2009 to form

Great City Attractions Great City Attractions Limited, also known as Great City Attractions Global, was a company engaged in the operation of large transportable Ferris wheels. Based in Sutton Coldfield, UK, it was incorporated in 2008. It went into administration in Jul ...

) :*

: tall, completed 2008; world's tallest 2008 to 2014 :*

: tall, was supposed to open in 2008, went into in receivership, never built :*

Great Dubai Wheel Dubailand is an entertainment complex being built in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, which is owned by Tatweer (which belongs to Dubai Holding). When announced in 2003 it was one of the most ambitious leisure developments ever proposed anywhere in ...

: tall, planning permission granted in 2006, was supposed to open in 2009, never built :*

: tall, was supposed to open in 2008, never built :*

: tall, project halted in 2009, never built

(Rides brokered by Intamin — manufactured by Waagner-Biro) :*

Mickey's Fun Wheel Pixar Pal-A-Round (formerly known as the Sun Wheel and Mickey's Fun Wheel) is a eccentric wheel at Disney California Adventure, at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California. The attraction opened to the public on February 8, 2001 at Paradis ...

: an eccentric (sliding) wheel :*

: a

double wheel A Ferris wheel (also called a Giant Wheel or an observation wheel) is an amusement ride consisting of a rotating upright wheel with multiple passenger-carrying components (commonly referred to as passenger cars, cabins, tubs, gondolas, capsules ...

: a triple wheel :*

The Wheel at ICON Park Orlando The Wheel at ICON Park Orlando is a tall giant ferris wheel in Orlando, Florida, United States. Opening under the name Orlando Eye, it opened on April 29, 2015. The wheel was reported to be in the early stages of planning in March 2011, at whi ...

Mir / Pax :*

Moscow-850 Moscow-850 (russian: Колесо имени 850-летия Москвы) was a Ferris wheel in the amusement park "Moscow-850" on the territory of VDNKh (''Exhibition of Achievements of National Economy''), built for the 850th anniversary of Mo ...

, a tall wheel in Russia; Europe's tallest extant wheel when completed in 1997, until 1999 :*

Eurowheel Eurowheel is a tall Ferris wheel at the Mirabilandia amusement park near Ravenna, in Emilia–Romagna, Italy. It is known for its views over Ravenna and nearby beaches, and its 50,000 light bulbs are said to make it the brightest Ferris wheel ...

, a tall wheel in Italy; Europe's tallest extant wheel when completed in 1999, until the end of that year

(formerly Nauta Bussink; then Ronald Bussink Professional Rides; then Bussink Landmarks since 2008) :Wheels of Excellence range (sold to Vekoma in 2008) has included: :*R40: tall fixed or transportable wheel, 15 or 30 cars, 8 passengers per car :*R50: tall fixed or transportable wheel, 18 or 36 cars, 8 passengers per car :*R60: tall transportable wheel, 21 or 42 cars, 8 passengers per car :*R80: tall fixed wheel, 56 cars, 8 passengers per car :

: :*

: tall fixed or transportable wheel, 27 16-person cars, or 54 8-person cars Sanoyas Rides Corporation (has built more than 80 Ferris wheels) :*

: tall, completed 2008, rebuilt 2009–2013 ;

Senyo Kogyo Senyo Kogyo is a Japanese entertainment company specializing in the production and operation of amusement park equipment. The company is known for manufacturing Ferris wheels. Ferris wheel :*Cosmo Clock 21 Cosmo Clock 21 is a 112.5 metre tall ...

Co, Ltd. :* Cosmo Clock 21: tall, completed 1989; world's tallest 1989 to 1997; tall when re-erected in 1999 :*

Diamond and Flower Ferris Wheel is a tall Ferris wheel in Kasai Rinkai Park, in Edogawa, Tokyo, Japan. It is named for its light shows, which have the appearance of a sparkling diamond or flower. When completed in 2001, it was the world's second tallest Ferris wheel. It was ...

: tall, world's second tallest when completed in 2001 :*

: tall, completed 1997; world's tallest 1997 to 1999 ;World Tourist Attractions /

Wheels Entertainments Wheels Entertainments, sometimes referred to by the press as Wheels Entertainment, is a company engaged in the operation of large transportable Ferris wheels. Based at Shenstone, in Lichfield, Staffordshire, it is the UK operations arm of Dubai-bas ...

/ Freij Entertainment InternationalFreij – FERRIS WHEEL
:*

Belfast Wheel The Belfast Wheel was a tall transportable Ferris wheel installation in the centre of Belfast, Northern Ireland, in the grounds on the east side of Belfast City Hall. It operated from November 2007 to April 2010. History The Belfast Wheel w ...

:* Brighton Wheel :*

Royal Windsor Wheel The Royal Windsor Wheel was a non-permanent transportable Ferris wheel installation at Alexandra Gardens, Windsor, Berkshire, England. The Royal Windsor Wheel first operated in 2006. In 2009 it operated from April to October and carried over ...

Wheel of Birmingham The Wheel of Birmingham or Birmingham Wheel was a series of transportable Ferris wheel installations at Centenary Square in Birmingham, England. These have been landmarks in central Birmingham, visible from many parts of the city. The first op ...

Wheel of Brisbane The Wheel of Brisbane (also Brisbane Eye) is an Observation Wheel in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. It is tall. It was erected in 2008 at the northern entrance to South Bank Parklands, the transformed World Expo 88 site by the Brisbane Rive ...

Wheel of Sheffield The Wheel of Sheffield is a tall transportable Ferris wheel installation on Fargate, by City Hall, in Sheffield, England. It first appeared from July 2009 until November 2010 and is now erected seasonally as a temporary structure. It opened o ...

:* Yorkshire Wheel

References

External links

*
1904 Louisiana Purchase Exposition Ferris Wheel
in various stages of construction fro
St. Louis Public Library Digital Collections

Guide to the Norman D. Anderson Collection on Ferris Wheels and Related Materials circa 1890-2015Ain Dubai
{{Authority control American inventions Articles which contain graphical timelines 1893 introductions

Terminology and design

Early history

Somers' Wheel

The original Ferris Wheel

Antique Ferris wheels

World's tallest Ferris wheels

Future wheels

Construction in progress

Abandoned projects

Quiescent proposals

Variants

Indoor Ferris wheels

Motorised capsules

Centreless wheels

Transportable wheels

Double and triple wheels

Eccentric wheels

Gallery of notable wheels

Major designers, manufacturers, and operators

See also

References

External links