The gardens of the nobility were places of recreation creating idealised landscapes. A pleasure that other people were happy to share.
Pleasure gardens are, by all accounts, of noble descent. The first pleasure gardens were laid out near castles and hunting lodges of the nobility. The first pleasure gardens for commoners arose in the 16th century. They were built on the outskirts of major European cities. Most of them have disappeared but one is still in existence: Bakken in Denmark. This pleasure garden north of Copenhagen was opened in 1583. Pleasure gardens can be looked upon as the predecessors of modern amusement parks. They offered visitors a range of fairground attractions. There were even primitive amusement rides. Pleasure gardens had their heyday around 1800. Tivoli in Copenhagen and Vauxhall in London were popular destinations. They offered permanent entertainment. Permanent fairgrounds were found as well at the Place Marigny in Paris and the Piazza Pepe in Rome. In the 19th century many pleasure gardens were turned into zoological gardens or incorporated the new zoos.
The pleasure garden Laxenburg near Vienna in 1853.
The first pleasure gardens were illusions of fantastic landscapes and visions of natural paradises brought into reality by skilful gardeners. The Laxenburg Park near Vienna was founded in 1760 as a hunting ground. Kaiser Franz II transformed it into a romantic landscape with a castle, Chinese bridges, a fishermen’s village and Turkish mosques. It was for private use. Parks like Laxenburg are closely related to the fairground because their nature was decoration and the buildings were scenery, designed to amuse, enchant and inspire. Later, when technicalnovelties like Panoramas were added, the pleasure gardens transformed into public amusements parks.
Coloured engraving of Vauxhall Gardens circa 1770. Taken from W.B. Bolton’s Amusements of Old London, Volume II, published in 1900.
Vauxhall Gardens in London, circa 1780. Madame Weischell, a then celebrity, is depicted giving a vocal performance.
An engraving from circa 1780 showing ‘Russian Mountains’ (‘Montagnes Russes’) and the Panstéreorama, a sort of panorama.
The gondola was one of the top-attractions at the Vienna Prater. The drawing was made in 1873.
A picture of the Prater in Vienna in 1891.
The Ferris wheel in the Prater. The photograph was taken in 1941. This huge Riesenrad was built in 1897 as a symbol of technological progress. The big wheel with its panoramic view became an enormously popular attraction in entertainment parks everywhere.
A superb view of the Prater. A picture from 1967.
Not only could you enjoy performances by Laurence Irving, Lenora Sparkes and the Kursaal Orchestra, on Saturday May 30th 1908 The Kursaal and Royal Spa Cafe in Harrogate (Yorkshire) presented animated pictures as well. They were projected with a Munograph.
Parc Monceau. Pleasure gardens are of noble origin.