Colossos – Kampf der Giganten is a wooden roller coaster at Heide Park in Soltau, Lower Saxony, Germany. Built by Intamin and designed by Werner Stengel, it opened on April 13, 2001, and quickly became one of Europe’s tallest wooden coasters, drawing riders with its towering out-and-back layout and rapid-fire drop.
What set Colossos apart from traditional wooden coasters was its construction method: rather than hand-built lattice track, its rails were prefabricated and laser-cut in a factory for exceptional precision. After track deterioration forced a closure in 2016, Heide Park invested roughly €12 million in a full rebuild, reopening the ride in 2019 with a new fire-monster battle theme woven into the experience.
Stats at a Glance
- Park: Heide Park (Soltau, Germany)
- Manufacturer: Intamin
- Opened: April 13, 2001 (reopened April 19, 2019)
- Height: 50.0 m (164 ft)
- Top speed: 110 km/h (68 mph)
- Length: 1,344 m (4,409 ft)
- Inversions: 0
The Ride Experience
Riders climb a chain lift to Colossos’s 50-meter peak before plunging down a 48.5-meter drop that launches the train to its top speed of 110 km/h. The 1,344-meter out-and-back layout keeps the pacing relentless for its roughly two-and-a-half-minute run, delivering forceful airtime moments typical of large wooden coasters without a single inversion.
Since its 2019 relaunch, the ride carries a storyline in which the Colossos giant comes under siege by a fire-breathing monster, with themed elements added around the station and course to reinforce the battle narrative referenced in the ride’s full name.
From Closure to Comeback
Colossos closed in July 2016 after inspections revealed the wooden structure and prefabricated track had deteriorated with age, a common challenge for early-2000s wood coasters running at high speed and force. Rather than demolish it, Heide Park committed to a ground-up track replacement.
The roughly €12 million refurbishment retained the original layout and support structure while replacing the running surfaces and adding the fire-monster theming, allowing the coaster to reopen in April 2019 essentially as good as new.
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Colossos FAQs
What type of roller coaster is Colossos?
Colossos is a wooden roller coaster manufactured by Intamin, notable for using prefabricated, laser-cut track sections instead of traditional hand-built wooden lattice construction.
Why was Colossos closed for several years?
Colossos closed in July 2016 after its track showed significant wear, prompting Heide Park to fund a roughly €12 million rebuild that replaced the aging track before the ride reopened in April 2019.
How fast and tall is Colossos?
Colossos stands 50 meters (164 ft) tall, drops 48.5 meters, and reaches a top speed of 110 km/h (68 mph) along its 1,344-meter track.
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Photo: Keno Drosdatis / CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.