Mystery Park AG
CH-3800 Interlaken		 Tel: +41 33 827 5757
Fax: +41 33 827 5758

Meet The Mysteries Of This World
How Erich von Däniken's Mystery Park Was Born

Oktober 19, 2001

"It will not be a UFO park". Initiator Erich von Däniken has had to repeat these words over and over again. But now, even the last sceptics can allow themselves to be convinced. The contours of the Mystery Park, Interlaken's unique adventure and educational theme park are clearly visible, whether on a virtual visit to the home page at www.mysterypark.ch or an actual visit to the construction site itself. After a planning and building period of only five years, the park will open its gates on 7 November 2002.

Mysteries are found all over the globe, created by our ancestors and with their secrets still unsolved to this day. These witnesses to past cultures are often situated in remote locations, completely inaccessible to most people. However, books, illustrations or films have made them familiar to everyone. A vast amount of research has been carried out and theories expounded, yet to this day, there is still no satisfactory explanation. Even the age of several of these mysteries remains shrouded in secrecy.

The mystery of Nazca lies about 450 km south of Lima, in Peru, consisting of kilometres of dead straight lines similar to runways, each up to 1.60 km long and 70 m wide and giant drawings etched into the earth. To date, every attempt to explain their creation and purpose has been refuted. The Pyramids of Gizeh in Egypt provide another mystery, with even their age still a matter of dispute. Ancient Indian literature contains detailed descriptions of flying vehicles or Vimanas. Similar vehicles are also mentioned in the Old Testament and Ethiopian folklore, a mystery which remains unsolved to the present day.

Millions of fascinated fans
 No one person has fascinated people with descriptions of these mysteries more than best-selling author Erich von Däniken. His books have been translated into 32 languages with over 60 million copies sold. A total of eight million viewers watched both screenings of the "Erich von Däniken-Special" on the RTL television channel. And soon, the work of this best-selling author will be filmed as a series in Hollywood, by the producers of the "X Files".

In the Mystery Park, Erich von Däniken is bringing the great mysteries of the world together in one truly unique location. The extraordinary adventure and educational theme part is being created in Interlaken, perfectly situated in Interlaken, at the heart of Europe and an internationally renowned tourist resort. A wide public will be able to pay a virtual visit to the sites of the mysteries, to travel back through time to the roots of our different cultures and make new discoveries or decide on their own explanations. Erich von Däniken is certain that these mysteries form one of the largest untapped fields of exploration which remain open to the youth of today and following generations.

Inexhaustible archives
 In autumn 1997 Erich von Däniken brought the foundation "The Great Mysteries of the World" to life in Interlaken, close to his home village of Beatenberg. In addition to ready cash, he also donated part of his vast collection of manuscripts, slides, films, books and research studies to the publicly controlled foundation. On his death, the remainder of his life's work will also pass to the foundation. This provides an invaluable source of knowledge for the Mystery Park as indeed do relationships with similar associations, for example the "Archeology, Astronautics and SETI Research Association (A.A.S)".

The Mystery Park AG was set up as a limited company to realise the project, with Interlaken businessman Oskar Schärz as chairman of the board of directors. The scheme rapidly gained a wide following far beyond Switzerland. The shares are listed on the stock exchanges in Bern and Berlin and it is estimated that to date over 7000 investors have bought shares, and so joint owners of the park. At present, over CHF 33 million own capital is available for the realisation of the project.

International business concerns as sponsors
 But well-known investors and sponsors have also shown great enthusiasm for this innovative project. Feldschlösschen, Valora, Sennheiser, Sony, Hotela, Coca-Cola, SBB, Bleuel Electronic, HP and Industriellen Betriebe Interlaken (IBI) have all been gained as partners. Sponsors' pledges amount to around CHF 8 million. More than half the CHF 80 million investment cost (excluding F+B sector) has thus been financed.

Construction began on the 100,000 sq.m. site of the former military airfield in Matten on 1 March 2001. Environmental and nature conservation associations from the region have been drawn in, to ensure that the park will be built and operated in an as environmentally-friendly manner as possible. For example, thanks to the direct supply of cooling energy from ground water, the amount of electricity needed to cool the buildings will be reduced by over 95%! Building permission procedures were processed in just six months, with only a few objections. Definitive building permission was granted on 15 August 2001.

No dead museum
 Parallel to the construction work, various project teams are busy creating the themes to be presented in the seven buildings which are set out in the shape of a star. Autumn 2000 saw the first filming of the straight kilometre-long lines at Nazca in Peru. This material will one day soon give visitors to the Mystery Park the incredible illusion of flying over the deserts and mountains of the Peruvian Andes.

Erich von D?niken depicts another theme building thus, "I had hardly realised that the jungle path was climbing slightly when I found myself before the arched entrance to some steps. "The Temple of the Inscription in Palenque, Mexico". Bathed in the gloomy, rusty-red light from the artificial flares in the walls, I went down the few steps into the vault. The walls were bare, with a damp shimmer. Broken stalactites clung to the ceiling."

The words "We don't want to build a dead museum" are very important to Erich von Däniken. Using state-of-the-art multimedia means, the various hypotheses will be placed side by side and the visitor actively drawn into events. Children will have fun in a Play Garden. Fun Shuttles will simulate a Mars landing. Computer fans will be able to surf the world of mysteries in the PC Drome. Thanks to lightweight construction, it will be possible to update the theme pavilions with topical themes after a few years. The park will remain "alive" and able to continually present new themes.

150 new jobs in the Bernese Oberland
 In the centre of the park, in addition to the restaurants and shopping area, will stand a globe tower housing the Science Centre. The Mystery Park is already working in close cooperation with educational and research institutions and has the support of the State Secretariat for the Economy.

The park will open on 7 November 2002, at the end of Expo. 02. with the Science Centre opening a year later. Around 500,000 visitors are expected annually. As the Mystery Park will be an all-year-round operation, it will also provide the region's guests with a welcome touristic attraction in bad weather. Countless enquiries and even group and company reservations (incentives) for events in the Mystery Park have already been received from both inside and outside Switzerland.

The Mystery Park will create approximately 80 jobs for full-time employees and apprentices together with about 70 jobs in the secondary service sector. "Erich von Däniken's idea does not therefore just portray a vision. It will also provide a genuine economic boost for the whole of the Bernese Oberland", emphasises Elisabeth Zölch, Head of the Department for Public Economy, Berne, and Member of the Cantonal Executive.

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