Plenty of the world’s major cities have Ferris wheels carving out a nice spoked circular shape in their respective skylines. The ubiquitous amusement ride sits centrally in cities like Singapore, Las Vegas, Chicago, and London. And while it may seem dated for a city to want to include a Ferris wheel as one of its landmarks but that’s exactly what the Seoul Metropolitan Government has set out to do for South Korea’s buzzing capital – come 2027, the Seoul Ring will not only be one of the city’s most eye-catching landmarks, it’ll be the largest Ferris wheel in the world at 180 metres tall.
The project will erect this futuristic spokeless Ferris wheel at Haneul Park in Sangam-dong, Mapo-gu. Riders will have unparalleled views of the Hangang River below as well as downtown Seoul, Namsan Mountain and Bukhansan Mountain. And when they’re on the ground, everyone will have direct access to a wider cultural complex that is being built around the Seoul Ring, designed to illustrate the history of Nanjido and host various festivals throughout the year.
As reported by CNN, Haneul Park was chosen as the location because of its proximity to the country’s northern border. The Seoul Metropolitan Government intend the Seoul Ring to be a symbol of a unified Korea, making it more than just a token gesture to pull tourists out to Haneul Park, which in previous years has been used as a testing ground for various eco-friendly projects.
Typically, a Ferris wheel would have cables running through the middle to help the cars rotate but technology has evolved to the point where cars are able to move without them. This will help with the Seoul Ring’s seamless design, which will comprise 36 carriages and can reportedly accommodate 11,792 people per day.
