Inside Europe’s “biggest theme park” left to rot as an abandoned wasteland – World News

Once billed as the world’s largest theme park, it was abandoned and left to rot just a year after its grand opening.

Wonderland Eurasia, whose 26 roller coasters once gave families an unforgettable day out, is now littered with trash everywhere and food left in the fridge. The venue, also known as Anchor Park, was once praised by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan as “one of the symbols of Turkey’s pride.”

However, the year after its grand opening, it suddenly closed and fell into ruin. When the park opened in March 2019, six years after it was first announced, the park boasted a lot within its 1.3 million square meter grounds, and excitement was definitely building. Ta.

Now, the only people going there are robbers who are constantly trying to steal cables and other recyclable parts. Plans for the amusement park were announced 10 years ago by then-mayor Melih Gökçek, but his grand plans were soon hit by legal troubles and political scandals, with no happy ending.

Among the attractions, Anchor Park had 2,117 smaller amusement park rides housed in 13 giant tents, as well as a number of large thrill rides. The large outdoor area featured a spectacular fountain created to spray water with a 120 meter high jet, and the park featured large statues of dinosaurs and robots, among other decorations.

Wonderland Eurasia, which reportedly cost the city of Ankara approximately 647 million pounds, had the capacity to receive approximately 5 million visitors a year. Problems at the park, which is managed by a private company, began early, when one of the roller coasters broke down two days after it opened. The big problem was that the park opened even though some of the rides were not completed and paying guests were prohibited from entering.

The unfinished state of the park has also been noted by visitors, with one TripAdvisor user writing in July 2019: I was disappointed and annoyed because it wasn’t open yet and I wasn’t even informed about that before I bought the ticket. ”

Despite being partially closed, the park was loved by many visitors, with one tourist advice website writing: “A great place to have a good time with family and friends. Definitely the only place in Ankara.” “It’s the best place in Turkey.” The enthusiasm of many guests was not enough to keep the venue open, and management closed the venue less than a year after its launch as it struggled to pay the electricity bill.

Anka Park was controversial even before its construction, as it was built within the Ataturk Forest Farm, a large recreational agricultural area owned by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry that includes farms, greenhouses, restaurants, and a zoo. After closing, the park remained in ruins for years, with rides covered in dust and many of the attractions and statues broken.

Anchor Park Enterprises general director Cem Uzan excitedly explained at the opening that the attraction will help attract tourists from the Middle East, China and Russia. Uzan said: “We are striving to improve Ankara’s tourism activities. Our Chinese partners bring nearly 500,000 Chinese tourists. Our goal is to improve the tourism activities of Ankara. “In this situation, if more tourists come here, Ankara will get proper income and develop its tourism structure. Thus we will establish new sources of income for Ankara.” That will happen.”

But it was all over before it started. In the summer of 2022, the Ankara Metropolitan Municipality conducted a survey of Ankara residents on how to use the park land acquired following a court ruling. The poll found that local residents want the area to be redeveloped as green space because the last ride takes longer.