Talocan, Top Spin ride at Phantasialand in Brühl, Germany.
Talocan is a Suspended Top Spin by Huss Rides at Phantasialand in Brühl, the first of its type in Europe. Riders sit in rows suspended from an overhead arm that rotates them through inversions above a water basin. A large stone sculpture of the god Tlaloc, water running over its face, stands in front of the fountains.
Talocan opened in 2007 on the site of the demolished Condor, making it Europe's first Suspended Top Spin from Huss Rides. On 5 June 2007 a gas cylinder exploded during operation, injuring one employee and damaging technical parts of the ride. The FKF-Award 2007 recognised its theming.
The name comes from Tlalocan, the paradise of the rain god Tlaloc in Aztec mythology. The queue winds through a wine cellar stocked with old barrels, following a fictional story in which a Mexican cooperative uncovers an Aztec temple while enlarging its cellar. A wide sculpture of Tlaloc with an angry face, holding a vessel with a flame, stands before the fountains.
Waiting riders are split by staff into two groups in the wine-cellar queue, one for the front row and one for the back row, before entering the temple. Loose items are placed on a floor section that is lowered before the ride starts. After the ride the floor rises again and visitors leave on the side opposite the entrance.
The fire effects run on liquid petroleum gas, not the site's natural gas supply: the burners need two to two and a half bar of pressure, which the mains network cannot deliver. The flames come from the vessel in the Tlaloc statue's hand and from two openings in its head.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 93,636 contributors worldwide.