Letna Park Carousel

The carousel is currently under restoration. But even in this form it is curious to look at her - after all, the oldest wooden carousel in Europe. Specially to get to it makes no sense. But if you are walking in Letensky Gardens, wrap up to see. There will probably be a very curious object when it is restored and opened!

Letensky carousel is located in Prague on Letna Plain in Kostelní Street in front of the National Technical Museum. The merry-go-round was probably built in 1892 or 1893. It is the oldest preserved merry-go-round in Europe. It is currently being reconstructed. The carousels were based on an Italian military game, which spread in Europe at the turn of the 17th and 18th centuries, in that the nobles rode horses in a circle and hit the spear on a stake on the stake in the middle. [2] A mechanical carousel without live horses is documented in France in 1662. [2] Modern development then directed through crinolines, chain roundabouts, ferris wheels and centrifuges. The merry-go-round was built by the owner Josef Nebeský, living in Prague No. 417 / I, the design and realization was provided by the carpenter master Matěj Bílek, the residence Vinohrady No. 545. [2] Originally the merry-go-round stood in Královské Vinohrady near the coaching inn “Na Kravíně”. [2] The date of commissioning is not known because it was not subject to a building permit as a temporary wooden structure - it is assumed that it was built for the summer season 1893 [2] or 1892. [1] In 1894, the owner transferred the merry-go-round to Letná, which belonged to Prague since 1884, adjacent to the first Prague electric railway station and the upper cableway station, where it operated in the summer seasons from the occupancy permit on July 11, 1894 [2] 20th century. According to the size of horses, it is assumed that it originally served not only for children but also for adults for entertainment. [2] [3] Since 13 November 1991, the merry-go-round has been protected as a monument and registered under the registration number 11880 / 1-2163. [2] It is registered in the Central List of Immovable Cultural Monuments of the Czech Republic under number 1-1545 / 7. [2] In 1994 the orchestra and the bell were stolen. In 1995, the first major restoration of the merry-go-round building, the restoration of historical elements and the elimination of improper modifications, and the complete replacement of the wiring (leaving the engine from 1981) were completed. [2] In 2004, the merry-go-round was purchased by the National Technical Museum. [4] The cost of renewal is estimated at several million [5] (6 million [4] was reported in 2006), the net proceeds of the public collection held from 1 May 2005 to 4 April 2008 according to the final statement was CZK 302,707. [5] [6] Reconstruction needs especially its own turntable, horses, cars and stork, retractable blinds, surrounding terrain and drainage, again electrical wiring and electric lighting. [4] In the archive of the Department of Construction of the District Office for Prague 7, the original plan as well as the complete documentation of the building permit and occupancy permit proceedings were preserved. [2] The merry-go-round still consists of an original Renaissance wooden pavilion with a 12-meter-wide plan of a regular 12-square plank, a beam construction with plank panels, a pyramid roof with twelve hip walls and a lantern of 7.7 meters. The roof was originally covered with sheet metal and there were gargoyles in the valleys. The roof load is transferred mainly to the perimeter walls so that the carousel shaft pin is not overloaded. The perimeter walls are on the foundation walls, 4.5 meters high, on the contact edges are formed by three wooden posts, the outer ones carry semicircular arches above the entrances. Above these arches are friezes with carved ornaments. After moving the merry-go-round to Letná, all 12 arches were supplemented with iron pull-out blinds. [2] A turntable with a diameter of 7.6 meters is attached to the vertical shaft in the center of the building. There is a solid floor about 1.6 meters wide around the turntable. The shaft bearing is located in the walled section, 1.8 meters below the floor. The merry-go-round contains padded 18 horses of various sizes [2] (21 horses [4] are also listed) covered with real horse skin without joints, filled with straw, with glass eyes. [5] The original saddles and bridles have been preserved in four horses: Poly, Flora, Blesk and Šemík. [5] The original four benches were probably replaced by four toy cars in the 1930s [2], two of which are wooden and two are metal. [4] The central turntable column is decorated with the original three knights in paper-armor armor painted with silver plating. [5] The Art Nouveau cabinet orchestra of the brand Dalibor from Mr. Klepetář's company in Prague was also a part of it, but it was stolen in 1994 [2] [5] as well as the original bell about 30 centimeters high. [2] NOW IS CORRECTING!

Now in the reconstruction, but as a child, I have just rolled off an unforgettable experience. Original carousel with horses, cars, etc. I look forward to my children's ride.

The Letna Carousel is a unique work and especially today a unique monument. I visited Letna Park several times, but not once did I have the opportunity to look at the carousel uncovered. In addition, it was always closed. That's why I've never experienced it all visible. It's a shame......

The oldest preserved carousel in Europe from 1893. The building consists of a wooden pavilion in the neo-Renaissance style with beautiful carving. It is declared a protected cultural monument. When the merry-go-round was in operation, his orchestrion could be heard in the surrounding Letná Park.