The Prater (German pronunciation: [ˈpraːtɐ] ⓘ) is a large public park in Leopoldstadt, Vienna, Austria.

[citation needed] The area that makes up the modern Prater was first mentioned in 1162, when Emperor Friedrich I gave the land to a noble family called de Prato.

The word "Prater" was first used in 1403, originally referring to a small island in the Danube north of Freudenau, but was gradually extended to mean the neighbouring areas as well.

On 7 April 1766, Emperor Joseph II declared the Prater to be free for public enjoyment, and allowed the establishment of coffee-houses and cafés, which led to the beginnings of the Wurstelprater.

[3] In 2004, major renovations to the Wurstelprater began, and a new underground railway line was finished and brought into service on 11 May 2008, which includes three stops along the Prater (see Vienna U-Bahn).

Wien Praterstern railway station has been in operation for a long time and is only a few dozen metres away from an entrance to the park.

In 2019, Eliud Kipchoge ran the marathon distance of 42.195 km on a stretch of road in the park in the INEOS 1:59 Challenge.