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In 1893
a World's exhibition was celebrated in Chicago to
commemorate the 400th anniversary of Christopher
Columbus departure from Spain in his sail to America.
The Ferris Wheel was the engineering landmark of the
exposition, just like the
Eiffel Tower had been the landmark of the Paris
exposition four years before, in 1889.
The Ferris Wheel was
conceived by engineer George W. Ferris. Its proportions were
stunning: a Wheel with a diameter of 250 feet (82 meters) holding 36
wooden cabins for 60 people each (that's 2160 people at full load!).
The entertaining concept of the Ferris Wheel was a huge success and
from that time on a large number of Ferris wheels have been erected
throughout the whole world.
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