Roller coaster in Nagashima Spa Land, Mie prefecture, Japan

© Japanese amateur photographer/Getty Image

Buckle up!. International Roller Coaster Day

From single rails to virtual reality, roller coasters have been thrilling people for centuries. Their origins can be traced back to 17th-century Russia, where wooden slides—'Russian Mountains'—provided seasonal entertainment. The first roller coaster was built in early 19th-century Paris, France. Called 'Les Montagnes Russes à Belleville,' it featured wheeled carts securely attached to tracks. By the 1900s, coasters were looping the loop for the first time.