Circular Wonder: South Korea's 'Seoul Ring', the tallest and eco-friendly spokeless Ferris wheel

If the roller coasters make you queasy but you still want the thrill of an amusement park ride, a spokeless Ferris wheel might be more your style. The largest spokeless Ferris wheel in the world will now be a part of Seoul’s skyline by 2027, according to CNN. The “Seoul Ring” wheel, which will be 180 metres (591 feet) tall, will be located in Haneul Park, offering stunning views of the nation’s capital. Spokeless Ferris wheels The Ferris wheel was patented by George Washington Gale Ferris Jr. , an engineer who designed the attraction for Chicago’s World’s Columbian Exposition in 1893. However, the vertical wheel was first invented in Bulgaria and dates back to the 17th century. The first human-powered wheels had a capacity of 60 riders, had 36 buckets with swivelling seats and was 264 feet (80 metres) in diameter, according to Howstuffworks.com. Spokeless Ferris wheels were created very recently. Although wires have historically run through the centre of the wheel, modern technology now allows cars to revolve without them. Currently, the world’s largest spokeless Ferris wheel currently operating is located in China’s Shandong province, at a height of 145 metres. While the top spot is currently held by Dubai’s 250 metres wheel on Bluewaters Island in the United Arab Emirates. The “Seoul Ring” The Seoul Metropolitan Government (SMG) announced that the Seoul Ring will be located in Haneul Park in the city’s northeast, according to CNN. Sharing a press release, they said the wheel’s location in Haneul (Korean for “sky”) Park was chosen for various reasons, namely its proximity to the country’s northern border. “Since the park is geographically close to North Korea, the SMG will concentrate its desire and wishes for a unified Korea and national unity on the Ring.” According to The Korea Herald, Hong Sun-ki, director general at the Future Urban Spaces Planning Bureau of the Seoul Metropolitan Government, told in a briefing, “Seoul City has long reviewed the feasibility of Ferris wheels given the millions of tourist visits expected and jobs created, but the fundraising challenges and safety regulations have left plans in disarray.” “Now is the time to wipe out concerns and build the Ferris wheel under a feasible plan to reveal the true value of the Han River and open the way for the era when some 30 million tourists visit Seoul,” he added. 36 carriages on Seoul Ring Zero will have a capacity of up to 25 passengers each, or up to 12,000 people each day. Haneul Park, which was created to honour the 17th Fifa World Cup, will now be easier for visitors to access thanks to the city’s plans to install gondola lifts and moving walkways. The eco-friendly project The projected overall cost of the structure, on a 20,000-square-meter lot, is 400 billion won ($411 million). The construction will begin in 2025 and is anticipated to be completed by 2027. The Ferris wheel will use green technology, such as solar power. It is only one of several programmes in the Sangam-dong neighbourhood, a former dump that is now home to eco-friendly projects. With inputs from agencies Read all the  Latest News ,  Trending News ,  Cricket News ,  Bollywood News , India News  and  Entertainment News  here. Follow us on  Facebook,  Twitter and  Instagram.