Spreepark Plänterwald
by James Glazebrook
Rumour has it that this weekend is your last chance to visit Spreepark Plänterwald! The former theme park’s future has been in question ever since its owners abandoned it to set up another failed amusement park in Peru, and then were caught trying to smuggle cocaine back hidden in their Flying Carpet ride. (True story. The documentary Achterbahn, which we borrowed from Dave andberlin, tells the full, fascinating tale.) And now, in a sign of the times, Spreepark is set to be auctioned off, although, this being Berlin, the closing date keeps shifting. Having said that, if you don’t visit before July 3rd, you might never get the chance.
And visit you should. Although we’re sure that taking the tour doesn’t come close to the thrill of breaking into the park, which used to be the only way to get in, Spreepark Plänterwald is still an unmissable, uniquely Berlin place. Apart from your fellow visitors and the odd security guard, the theme park still feels very much vacant – the big wheel still eerily turns, creakily blown by the wind, the only warnings about the parts that aren’t safe to walk on come from the guide’s mouth. It’s worth risking his wrath by sneaking away from the group, so that you can discover for yourself the lion’s mouth through which the rainbow-coloured roller coaster used to travel, or take a quiet walk through the graveyard of toppled dinosaur statues.
If you’re in Berlin this weekend, make sure you book a spot on what could be the last tour of Spreepark Plänterwald. You can find details, in German, here – hope you make it!
Photos by Zoë Noble Photography.
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It just looks like the park was built only for people to die in it. Who builds an amusement park in the woods with good intentions?
ever heard of Alton Towers?
The auction for the Speepark is cancelled today, delayed for half a year or so.
One wish: take the official tour, best on Saturday, when normally Sabrina (daughter of the park owner) is your guide.
I’m an urbexer and like to explore hidden places on my own, but 15 € is a good price, you see everything and can listen to funny stories about the park (only in German, but Sabrina also speaks English).
Heading to Berlin for the first time next week and really keen to check this out. I’d love to do it the old-fashioned way but, just in case, how do you sign up for the official tour? I can’t find anything current online.
Paul
The remarkable is that it wasn’t sold sooner. Get ready for yet another horrible block of luxury flats!
Anyway, nice photos and nice tips. I’ll sneak in before it’s too late!
????
Hey überliners, come to the Arche Metropolis at Tempelhofer Feld on Sunday June 30th 2pm to find out, how the Spreepark might be saved for the future! http://open-media-foundation.org/wordpress/spreewaldpark/
Oh how sad ????
I had planned to go there this fall when I study abroad over there. It’s really sad that they have plans to demolish it since it has such a great history and it’s so popular. It’s sad they can’t find a way to monetize the popularity of an abandoned theme park instead of tearing it down.
I really hope that they don’t close it and tear it down before I get to see it in person, though.
Fantastic photos! I visited a couple years ago and it was really even more out of this world than I could have imagined. I run along the water on the edge of the Spreepark quite often, and every single time I think about the crazy story behind the park. Unbelievable!