What could be better for a kid than amusement park?! But what should you do if you are already grown? The answer is simple – go to abandoned amusement park in Berlin!
Get in
The park is located near the metro station Planterwald or Treptower Park, from which you need to go till the river Spree. The park itself is surrounded by the big fence, and it is one of the most difficult abandoned sites to get in. But nothing is impossible! It is said that there are guardians, cameras, and dogs inside the park, though we have not met any. The biggest barrier for us was the fence, which is really high, without any holes, and with small prongs on the top. My friend broke his trousers and some other clothes when trying to cross it. So try to bring with you some soft jacket on which you can lay while trying to cross.
When you are in, try to avoid the main roads, as guardians could see you when patrolling the area.
PS: they say that when you are caught, security asks for passport data. So the second time you are caught there, they will call to police and make you pay the fee.
History
The park was originally constructed by the communist government in East Germany in 1969 year. It was one of the most amazing parks in this side of Germany, until the fall of Berlin Wall in 1991 after which park was overtaken by Norbert Witte.
Witte significantly changed the atmosphere of the park, by adding an English village and water landscape. Though these changes have led to great debts for the owner of the park. He decided to make the entrance fee higher, but it has just led to the decreasing of number of visitors. In 2001 it was announced that the park will be closed.
But debts (11 million euros) were still left, and Witte decided to cope with them by reopening an amusement park in Lima, Peru. He shipped six attractions till there, but he failed with a new park.
In 2004 Witte was sentenced by German court to 7 years of jail for the attempt to smuggle 180 kg of cocaine from Peru till Germany (inside the attraction Flying Carpet!). In 2006 Witte’s son was sentenced by Peruvian court for 20 years for the same crime.
From 2011 till 2014 there were some tours inside Spreepark, though in 2014 Berlin bought the amusement park and stopped all tours.
It was announced that in 2018 park will be reopened, though now, in 2017, after being inside the park it is hard to believe in such information. But in any way, when Witte bought the park, in the contract was written that the land may only be used as an amusement park until 2061. So no way to escape – the new Spreepark should be built!
Inside
Nowadays it is left really little things, rather than before but still: it is lots of fun! Don’t forget that Spree in Irish language means fun!
What is amazing most after you get inside – the huge Ferris wheel that is still…. moving on! (But of course, with the help of the wind.)
Voiceless Ferris wheelGoing further we have found an old roller coaster leading out of a rabid-looking animal’s mouth. There were still some trailers, and management booth, so we just imagined that one of us was a park manager, who allowed to his friend to ride freely one attraction.
And this is mostly all what is left in park… Some dinosaurs were laying broken, some wheels we still inviting to ride together, lonely rocket…but nothing more.
