Upon unveiling Wonderland Eurasia, also known as Ankapark, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan hailed the massive theme park as “one of the symbols of pride for Turkey”.

However, the venue in Ankara was shut down and left to rot the year after its grand opening.

When it was launched in March 2019, six years after it had first been announced, the park had much to boast about within its 1.3-million-square-metre site.

Among its attractions, Ankapark was meant to offer 26 large roller coasters as well as 2,117 smaller amusement rides housed in 13 huge tents.

The large outdoor area included a majestic fountain built to sprinkle water in jets as high as 120 metres, and the park featured among other decorations large statues of dinosaurs and robots. 

READ MORE: Erdogan’s incendiary Hamas remarks a ‘real concern’ for NATO allies

Wonderland Eurasia, which reportedly cost around £647million to the Ankara municipality, had the capacity to host some five million visitors per year.

The issues at the park, the management of which was granted to a private firm, started early on, as one of its roller coasters broke down two days after the inauguration. 

Moreover, the park had been launched despite some of its rides not being finished and remaining off-limits to paying guests.

Don’t miss…
Archaeologists blown away as boat-shaped mound holds key Noah’s Ark evidence[PICTURES]
They arrived at the £1.5k all inclusive hotel in Turkey only to be refused entry[REPORT]
Sweden on brink of finally joining NATO as ‘Erdogan signs accession protocol'[INSIGHT]

• Advert-free experience without interruptions.
• Rocket-fast speedy loading pages.
• Exclusive & Unlimited access to all our content.

The unfinished state of the park was noticed by visitors too, with one taking to Tripadvisor in July 2019 to say: “This theme park still needs at least more six months in my opinion as most of the mature rides and games are either under construction or haven’t opened yet, and we weren’t even told about that before buying the tickets which led to us being disappointed and frustrated.”

Despite it being partially closed, the park was loved by many visitors, with one writing on the tourism advice website: “Wonderful place to have great time with family and friends. Definitely the best in Turkey, not just Ankara.”

The enthusiasm of many of its guests was not enough to keep the venue open, as less than one year after Ankapark was launched its management shut it down as it was struggling to pay electricity bills. 

Ankapark had sparked controversy even prior to its construction, as it was built on the Atatürk Forest Farm, a large recreational farming area owned by the Agriculture and Forestry Ministry and housing farms, greenhouses, restaurants and a zoo.

Following its closure, the park sat in ruins for years, with its rides covered in dust and many of its attractions and statues broken down.

In the summer of 2022, the Ankara Metropolitan Municipality surveyed Ankara residents on how the park’s site, which it had acquired following a court ruling, should be used.

The poll showed locals wanted the area to be redeveloped into a green area. 

Source: Read Full Article