In the 1970s, Bruno Ferrin began building an amusement park by hand, as a way of attracting people to his family’s restaurant in Battaglia, northern Italy.
Today, the sprawling amusement park consists of almost 50 rides that are powered completely by pulleys, bicycle cranks and gravity, and is a popular destination for both locals and tourists.
Ferrin refers to the theme park as an “ecological park” and says he’s often inspired by movements or patterns found in nature which he tries to replicate in his wildly varied rides.
Tucked in a grove of poplar trees, the forest location makes Osteria Ai Pioppi an almost magical, off-the-beaten-path destination.
Watch the video above from Great Big Story to see the charming Ferrin discuss how he built this amazing amusement park with his own two hands.
This article was originally published by Singapore Press Holdings.
