An amusement park in southwestern Germany was forced to close down a new carousel ride after the placement of the metal arms was found to resemble spinning swastikas when seen from a distance, a spokesman for the park said on Monday, according to the dpa news agency.

A video of the ride, called "Adlerflug" (Eagle's Flight), had been circulating on the online platform Reddit and drawing criticism.

Tatzmania park, located in the town of Loeffingen in the Black Forest region, then decided to close the ride with immediate effect and redesign it together with the Italian manufacturer.

The curious optics were not noticed by the park until the video began circulating online. The spokesman said the park, which is geared towards children and families, wanted to avoid causing any offence.

There was no talk of keeping the ride open once the matter was brought to the park's attention, the spokesman said. The rest of the park's attractions would continue operating as normal, he added.