For years, various companies have been throwing ideas to build the first real amusement park in our country. So far, all of these projects turned out to be pure fantasies, and if we didn't have rollercoasters and water slides, we don't have them. Which does not mean that they have never been to Poland! In 1929, a huge amusement park was created in Poznań, in no way inferior to its American counterparts.
Poznań's "Amusement Park" was built as a supplement to the General National Exhibition organized in the capital of Greater Poland - a truly international event, the preparation of which was spared no effort and budget funds. While the exhibition itself has gone down in history, the accompanying amusement park has been unjustly forgotten. Meanwhile, for the conditions at that time, it was one of the most modern amusement parks in Europe and even in the world.
Today there is no trace of it, and instead of exciting attractions, at Reymonta Street in Poznań, we can only see the remains of the Energetyka stadium. Fortunately, the biweekly "Echo of the General National Exhibition", published on the occasion of the Poznań event, has survived, and in one of its issues - a detailed description of "Amusement Park".
The Tatra railway covered by one of the merry-go-rounds…
The symbol of the Poznań amusement park was the legendary figure of Twardowski, sitting on the moon. So Poles already in 1929 had their "Twardowskiland", while in America the first Disneyland was created only a quarter of a century later . Of course, in 1929 there were other amusement parks in the United States.
It was even said about the first decade of the interwar period that it was the golden age of funfairs, usually built around wooden roller coasters. It was no different in Poznań, and the local railway could easily compete with the largest American roller coaster.
Its track was an astonishing two kilometers long (even today hardly any queue is that long!) And its installation cost 100,000 zlotys at that time. Converted into our today's currency, it would be more or less one million zlotys !! The editors of the "Echoes of the Universal Exhibition ..." praised the unusual structure: In the carriages of the "roller coaster" you will experience the emotions of dizzying driving on difficult curves, slopes and road hills. Words in words, but look at the photos - they are still impressive!
The roller coaster (also known as the "Tatra train") was the main attraction of the amusement park, but by no means the only one. The entire funfair was 30,000 square meters , and to transport several dozen attractive objects of all nature and sizes over a hundred railway carriages were needed.
… And in all its glory!
Interestingly, most of the attractions can also be found in modern amusement parks - they have not aged at all. The second obligatory item on the program was "Water cascade". Guests were convinced that it would allow a boat to roll down rapidly into the open waters of the pond from a high hill.
A huge slide and… splash into the water!
In addition, there was a whole range of attractions related to cars:at that time a luxury product and reserved only for the richest. In the guide to the "Amusement Park" we read: On the track of cars everyone will be able to ride the original two-seater car, which can be driven by themselves without the slightest knowledge of the cab . There is also something for the boys who are hungry for impressions: For children there is a car track with small cars driven by an electric battery and equipped with bumpers. Sounds familiar?
If the car was not enough for someone, he could always change to… the plane shown in the photo below.
Carousel with planes. Most of the bread eaters in Poland at that time could only count on such a flight in the skies.
And the view of the funfair from the nearby arena.
This is not the end of entertainment. The exhibition magazine also praised, among others, "Wheel of Laughter", "Flying Armchairs", "Toboggan Run" or "Wild Donkey": a cart decorated with a donkey's head at the front. The trolley, which can accommodate 6 people, assuming quite unexpected positions, will give the impression of a frisky donkey. You could even ride a horse at the hippodrome, and if someone got tired - rest for a moment in a restaurant, pie or "dancing" - whose dome, completely glazed, is unlike any other in Europe.
All this for just one zloty, because that was the cost of the entrance ticket to the "Amusement Park". There is a tear in the eye.
Source:
- Activities and sporting events department , "Echo of the General National Exhibition", No. 3 (March 1929).