Glass Maze – Lars Horlbeck (Schau & Horlbeck)

How Glasirrgarten Horlbeck works

You enter the maze on foot and find your own way through the glass corridors. From the outside, you can usually see much more than from the inside. Once you are between the panes, some passages look open even though there is a pane of glass in front of you. Other paths seem blocked even though you can actually continue along them. Finding your way therefore takes more than just looking: you have to pay close attention to your surroundings and keep choosing your direction.

The fun lies in the little mistakes. A path that seems safe might lead you straight back to a familiar spot. Perhaps you'll find the exit faster than your companion. Because you can explore the maze without a fast ride or a set sequence, it offers a different kind of funfair experience. You set your own pace and discover how bewildering a row of glass panes can be.

A special funfair classic

Glasirrgarten Horlbeck is neither a roller coaster nor a simulator. Its strength lies in a timeless idea: you can see the way, but still can't always follow it. The combination of skilled handwork, historic character and the shared challenge of finding your way gives the attraction its own character. If you'd like to discover more attractions like this, take a look at our overview of attractions.

History and the showman family

The roots of the glass maze go back to the early 1960s. The Ride-Index ride database names Knossalla as the builder and lists Knossalla of Hamburg as a former owner. The historic attraction has also been documented under the operator names Schau and Schau & Horlbeck. In a newspaper report from 2021, Lars Horlbeck described the special care required to maintain the old attraction. At the time, the family cleaned the numerous glass panes on both sides every day.

Notable details include the largely original components, including wooden floors and the traditional ticket booth. Maintaining an attraction like this is part of its history: the panes must stay clean for the optical illusion to work. This makes preserving the classic attraction a demanding task for the showman family.

Who is Glasirrgarten Horlbeck for?

The attraction is for visitors who want to laugh, puzzle things out and try something for themselves together. Families can look for the way through together, groups of friends can see who keeps their bearings, and couples can take a short break from the noisy rides. It's also worth noticing the historic design: the traditional features tell you a lot about a time when optical illusions alone were a major attraction.

Take your time and stay alert in the glass maze. Transparent panes are confusing precisely because they are so hard to see. For the current rules on children and accompanying adults, follow the signs at the entrance. The attraction is also a good choice if you want to do something hands-on between two carousel rides.