Vienna is getting its biggest musical theatre. In the middle of the Wurstelprater, the “Theater im Prater” has been growing since October 2025, an oval building of wood and glass with around 1,800 seats. From 18 November 2027, “Der König der Löwen” will run there, for the first time in Austria. Tickets are already available.
At a glance
- Address
- Prater 141C, 1020 Wien
Corner of Kratky-Baschik-Weg / Zufahrtstraße, former site of the Olympia Looping roller coaster - Public transport
- U1/U2 Praterstern, U2 Messe-Prater
- Opening
- 18 November 2027 with opening gala
- First show
- “Der König der Löwen”, in German
- Schedule
- Tuesday to Sunday, 8 performances per week, closed on Mondays
- Tickets
- from €54.99, advance sales since 3 November 2026 via ATG Tickets; bookable for now until 31 August 2028
- Seats
- around 1,800 on three levels
- Cost
- around €100 million, privately financed by ATG
The locationWhere exactly the theatre stands
The theatre is being built in the Wurstelprater at the corner of Kratky-Baschik-Weg and Zufahrtstraße. In recent years the roller coaster Olympia Looping, which came to the Prater regularly as a travelling attraction, stood on the site. Since 1 September 2025, ATG has been the official leaseholder of the plot. The Austrian Sustainable Building Council (ÖGNI) gives the address as Prater 141C, 1020 Wien.
By public transport, you reach the Wurstelprater via the underground stations Praterstern (U1, U2) and Messe-Prater (U2).
The operatorWho is behind the project
The developer and operator is ATG Entertainment, a British company with more than 70 theatres worldwide. The “Theater im Prater” is the group's first own venue in Austria. ATG bears the investment of around 100 million euros itself. According to ATG, the project is proceeding in coordination with the City of Vienna and Wien Holding.
ATG does not see the Vereinigte Bühnen Wien (VBW) with the Ronacher and Raimund Theater as competition. The new house will be bigger than both, and Vienna is expected to reach up to one million musical visits per year as a result. The city expects around 400 new jobs.
The constructionFrom groundbreaking to topping out
- 1 September 2025ATG takes over the plot as leaseholder.
- 27 October 2025Groundbreaking with Vienna's City Councillor for Finance and Economic Affairs Barbara Novak, district head Alexander Nikolai (Leopoldstadt) and the ATG management around Joachim Hilke and project manager Matthias Prichzi.
- February 2026The excavation pit is finished and the second construction phase begins. Swietelsky AG from Linz takes over the structural work.
- March 2026Up to 150 workers and more than 50 companies are on the construction site. Among other things, 8,200 m³ of concrete and 450 tonnes of steel are being used.
- 3 November 2026Start of ticket advance sales.
- End of 2026Topping out planned.
- 18 November 2027Opening gala and premiere of “Der König der Löwen”.
The architectureAn oval of wood and glass
The building was designed by Haworth Tompkins of London, winner of the Stirling Prize, and Dietrich Untertrifaller of Vienna. The theatre is an oval timber-hybrid building with a facade of glass and wood. The gross floor area is around 12,650 m². The seating is spread over three levels, with foyers on several floors, bars, a restaurant and a café in addition.
The roof will be planted, and rainwater will be stored on site following the sponge city principle. The project has a Gold pre-certificate from the ÖGNI under the DGNB system. Barrier-free access is planned from the start.
“It has no end date.”Joachim Hilke, Managing Director of ATG Entertainment, according to ORF Wien
The first show“Der König der Löwen” comes to Vienna
It will open with Disney's “Der König der Löwen”, for the first time in Austria and in German. The music is by Elton John and Tim Rice, the German lyrics by Michael Kunze, and Julie Taymor directs. The original premiered on Broadway in 1997, so at the Viennese opening the show celebrates its 30th anniversary. More than 130 million people worldwide have seen it.
Performances run Tuesday to Sunday with eight shows per week, with Mondays off. The production is planned as a long-running one. Dates can currently be booked until 31 August 2028, but that does not have to be the end of the run.
TicketsHow to get tickets
- Advance sales since 3 November 2026 via ATG Tickets, the operator's ticket portal
- Prices from 54.99 euros
- Dates bookable for now until 31 August 2028
Still openWhat is not yet known
- the cast of “Der König der Löwen”
- the exact price categories beyond the starting price
- which productions will follow
We will add to the report as soon as there is new information.
SourcesWhere our information comes from
- ATG Entertainment, project page “Theater im Prater”
- Der Standard: “Der König der Löwen regiert ab November 2027 im neuen Pratertheater”
- weekend.at, 3 November 2026 and keymedia.at, 3 November 2026: premiere, advance sales, prices, schedule
- ORF Wien, 22 September 2025, 17 March 2026 and 10 September 2026
- vienna.at, 27 October 2025: groundbreaking, jobs
- MeinBezirk Leopoldstadt, 3 February 2026: second construction phase, Swietelsky
- ÖGNI, project page: address, area, facilities, certification
- prater.at: Olympia Looping site
- 5 Minuten, 15 September 2026: creative team of the show
Cover image: Riesenrad in the Prater, illustrative image. Not a photo of the theatre.