März 2015 - airberlin magazin - Abu Dhabi entdecken

30 Deutschland Germany
airberlin magazin 3 / 2015
Along the river bank
Außergewöhnlich: Blumenhallenschauen
in der
Johanniskirche in Brandenburg
(links oben) und der
Laurentius kirche in Havelberg
(oben).
Unusual: flower shows in
the Church of St. Johannis
in Brandenburg (above, left)
and St. Laurentius Church in
Havelberg (above).
Idyllic nature and lots of history: the Havelland
between Brandenburg and Havelberg is the perfect
backdrop for a show that has a few surprises in store.
n a clear day, you can see for miles across the
meandering River Havel with its many oxbow
lakes, dotted with towns rich in cultural heritage
such as Rathenow, whose neo-Gothic Bismarck
Tower gazes majestically over the lush green of the
Weinberg. These picturesque waters, woods, fields and
meadows form an integral part of Brandenburg’s biggest
nature park. The view is possible thanks to the “BUGA
Skyliner”, a 72-metre tower topped off with a fully glazed,
air-conditioned cabin, said to be the most modern mobile
observation tower in the world. It’s just one of the special
features of a show which has been attracting attention
even before its doors open.
The show itself is also unusual. This year, instead of
being hosted by one city, the “Bundesgartenschau” will
be spread across five different locations: the ancient
town of Brandenburg an der Havel, Premnitz, Rathenow,
Stölln in the district of Rhinow, and the Hanseatic town
of Havelberg, which together span almost 80 kilometres
of the River Havel between Brandenburg and Saxony-
Anhalt. The show is epitomised by a broad expanse of
flowers which adorns the entire watercourse. No effort
has been spared to make it accessible to visitors: €13.2
million has been spent on improving cycle tracks, both
along the river itself and in the various towns, and the
BUGAbike service will provide suitable cycles at each
location. It’s a great opportunity to combine a trip
through the region’s unspoilt scenery and diverse fauna
with a visit to the garden show parks.
But even visitors who wish to focus exclusively on the
main show sites will have a memorable experience. Some
of the attractions are quite unusual – flowers will be
displayed in churches at a “BUGA” for the first time. The
majestic settings of Havelberg’s St. Laurentius Church, a
Gothic brick building dating from the 14th century, and
the fully renovated monastic church of St. Johannis in
Brandenburg provide the perfect backdrop for splendid
floral arrangements. Other highlights are a 10-metre
observation platform on the river bank at Premnitz
offering a panoramic view across the Havel conservation
area, the new 348-metre Weinberg Bridge over the Havel
at Rathenow, and no fewer than 50 themed gardens
including a water-lily arena and a “monks’ garden” with
wine-tasting.
Some €70 million has been invested in the 2015 show,
much of it being put towards a million flowering plants
plus countless herbaceous perennials, bushes and trees.
The state of Brandenburg has provided a further €76
million for garden and infrastructural projects. All the
areas are destined to be used for recreational purposes
once the show is over. The 2015 Bundesgartenschau
opens its doors on 18 April and closes on 11 October,
with around 1.5 million visitors expected to attend. •
Photos: BUGA 2015, NABU/Klemens Karkow, picture-alliance.de/Nestor Bachmann/Bernd Settnik, Thomas Uhlemann