Graveyard of Fun – Spreepark Berlin
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Even fun has a shelf life – this is what runs through my mind as I walk around Spreepark, the abandoned, dilapidated amusement park in Berlin. I can’t help but get visions of the many cemeteries I have visited in the past – the former amusement park is like a graveyard of fun.
I walk around this graveyard, looking at each park ride as a tombstone, wondering what its life was once like. A fallen dinosaur lays on the ground in rigor mortis with one arm broken off and graffiti tags in its mouth – it has a glazed-over look of death. Tall grasses have engulfed and camouflaged the roller coaster tracks, and the colorful tunnel looks like a mirage against the brown landscape of weeds. A once colorful, now faded mini car has driven off a track and sits among trees as if it’s lost. Then you are startled by the sudden high-pitched noise of creaking, and I turn to see the huge Ferris wheel moving. I rub my eyes and wonder if I’m seeing a ghost.
Our Spreepark tour guide explains that the Ferris wheel moves when the wind blows strong enough. He also explains the story of this unusual amusement park in old Eastern Germany – and boy, is it a story. Actually, the whole tour is in German only, but you can get the sorted story of how the family who owned the park in East Germany tried to keep it going when the wall fell in various articles around the internet. I knew the tour was in German, but I was there not to listen but to take photos.
Even though Spreepark is dead (RIP), it is now a present-day photographic amusement park. The park is closely guarded, and trespassing is typical but also dangerous, so an enthusiastic, enterprising young man has started running tours on the weekend through the park, providing you access to the park to shoot away to your heart’s content. In addition, if you understand German, you will learn the story of the park and its fall from glory into bankruptcy. Finally, you’ll also hear the very sad story of how the family tried to do a ‘take two’ in Peru and open an amusement park but instead ended up in a drug smuggling ring, which resulted in one son still rotting away in prison in Peru.
This park has drama
It also has great photography opportunities.
View all of my Spreepark Photography
More information:
Tour information (only in German): www.berliner-spreepark.de/—Tours are given mainly on the weekends. If you want to go on a tour, contact them. He does know a little English, and you can at least book yourself into a tour and get access for photography even if you don’t understand the stories.
The Story of The Downfall of a Funfair Family
Disclosure: Thanks to Oh Berlin apartment rental and Go with Oh for hosting me on this great tour. However, all of the opinions expressed here are my own – as you know how I love to speak my mind!
Amazing post and such expressive photos! A beautiful sadness, actually. Looking forward for your next posts!
I love things like this! There’s a place in Las Vegas called the Neon Boneyard Museum where all the old neon signs go when they’re discarded. This looks similar to that.
Oooo, amusement park “graveyards” are always SO cool!
parts of the film “Hanna” were shot here…pretty scary.
Oh, I remember the movie, I guess this is the place with the circus.Nice!
What a great find. I love the dead dinosaur lying lifelessly across the lawn.
Oh that’s so sad – especially the sinking swan and the tracks leading to nowhere. I have this morbid fascination with abandoned places, as heartbreaking as they can be.
This place looks awesomely creepy. Great pictures you really captured the mood of the place.
I missed this spot when I was in Berlin! Thanks for the amazing reminder for when I go back!
This was the amusement park my best friend and I went to as soon as I had gotten my drivers license (at 18). We were so excited for our first trip to an amusement park all by ourselves, and we had a great day there (even though we spent more time in the car going there and back than we actually spent in the park). I had no idea it had closed down – so sad.
Park reuse:
Raze for housing, Mall, condoes, offices OR
Renovate Park & reuse IE update rides
OR Leave AS IS for TV & Movie Production shooting alone.
IE 007, Marvel movie setting.