The Ferris wheel is a wonderful attraction, loved by many tourists. You can fully enjoy the excellent views of the surroundings and sights of the city, and for this you do not need to make tedious climbing steps, as is usually the case with observation decks. The tallest Ferris wheel in the world is located in Singapore, and it is worth talking about it in more detail.
Singapore Flyer
The Singapore Flyer is the name of the Ferris wheel built in Singapore. Its height is 165 meters, which is approximately equal to the height of a house of forty-two floors! The views from this Ferris wheel are simply fantastic, you can see not only the whole city, but also its surroundings.
Construction of the Singapore Flyer was started back in 2005. But to build such a whopper is not a quick matter, since many technical difficulties arise on the way of builders. Passenger capsules were hung on the wheel only in 2007, and launched a year later. The first test launch of the world's tallest Ferris wheel took place on February 11, 2008, and the opening to the general public took place on March 1 of the same year.
In total, about $ 135 million was spent on the construction, and during the first few days, a ticket for an amazing attraction cost … $ 8888! Nevertheless, there were many who wanted to buy a ticket even at this price, since many wanted to be among the first passengers on the Singapore Flyer.
The "strange" ticket price of $ 8888 is easily explained: the fact is that in Asia the number 8 is considered lucky.
The device of the Ferris wheel in Singapore
The Ferris wheel is based on a detached building, three stories high. It houses shops and boutiques. In general, a very beautiful and picturesque place was chosen for the construction of the Singapore Flyer: the embankment. Near the attraction there is a metro station, a large car park and numerous buses.
The passenger pods are of course closed type: what else to expect for a wheel of this height? There are 28 booths in total, but their small number is easily explained. The area of one booth is 26 sq. m, and up to 28 passengers can be in it at the same time. If "on board" there are people in wheelchairs, then one cabin can accommodate 5 wheelchairs and 15 more people.
The Ferris wheel makes a full circle in 37 minutes - enough to enjoy the views of the city and neighboring islands!
Current state of affairs
Not so long ago, near the Singapore Flyer, a hotel called Marina Bay Sands was opened, the height of which is 200m. The hotel also stands on the embankment, and its observation deck offers no worse views than from the Ferris wheel. The Marina Bay Sands building and the Singapore Flyer are currently competing for visitors.
