Tartu's 108-meter 'ice carousel' open to the public
An 'ice carousel' was set up in Tartu earlier this week to mark Estonian Independence Day.
The attraction consists of a wheel of freshwater surface ice which can be turned by pulling on a rope while those on board enjoy the ride.
The ice roundabout is 108 meters in diameter, to mark the 108th anniversary of Estonian independence marked Tuesday, and since ice on the surface of Tartu's Emajõgi River has been declared unsafe, the Anne kanal reservoir was picked instead.
The work took several hours of measuring up and sawing, but the attraction's creators say it was worth it, as an ice carousel has not been seen in Tartu for several years. Its predecessors were also considerably smaller.
The ice was 30-40 cm thick, while the most important engineering challenge was to make sure it remained circular.
"For that purpose, we placed a red post there and from it we measure exactly 54 meters with a wire as a double circle, and then we cut the ice slabs," Andrei Kulagin, who oversaw the project, told "Aktuaalne kaamera."
This was not the first time Kulagin and his team had tackled such an operation.
"Our very first record was for Estonia's 100th anniversary, and this was 100 meters [in diameter]. Now, eight years have passed — enough time to set a new record. But soon our measurements will start to be limited here. Perhaps we won't do it for a couple of years, and if we were to do it again one year, it might not even fit anymore," Kulagin went on.
One member of the public who tried out the ride was Vladislav, who deemed it "Excellent. I can't even compare it to anything. It's a unique experience. It brings a bit of adrenaline as well. It's art and engineering too. Awesome."
How long the carousel will continue to delight visitors depends hugely on the temperature conditions as we approach spring.
"When it drops to 15 degrees below zero at night, then this is perfect for riding. As for thawing — it will last as long as the rescue service permits it. There has already been a warning, which I would also repeat: Don't go onto the Emajõgi River, but come onto the canal instead," Kulagin added.
The facility is open to the public, and their dogs, at the Anne kanal in central Tartu. The original "Aktuaalne kaamera" segment is below.
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Editor: Andrew Whyte, Marko Tooming
