Look forward to an extraordinary 2007 Bundesgartenschau in Gera and Ronneburg! From 27 April to 14 October, the BUGA (Bundesgartenschau - German Federal Garden Show) in the host state of Thuringia is celebrating a unique festival of the senses. For the first time ever, the garden show is presenting two contrasting areas: Hofwiesenpark (Courtly Meadow Park) in Gera and Neue Landschaft (New Landscape) in Ronneburg. From the first awakening of spring to the florists' autumn show, the BUGA programme offers 171 packed days of highlights. Magnificent floral displays, out-of-this-world gardens, fantastic landscapes. Add to that music, dance, opera and operetta. And a BUGA team that sees service as a matter of course. In Thuringia, Germany's green heart, hospitality is an attitude towards life, and conviviality a tradition.

We offer stunning views: Hofwiesenpark in Gera offers about 300,000 square metres of sheer recreation. The colourful floral parade, the iris garden and the historical villa all promise relaxation. The flower hall will stimulate you with its changing displays. Here, on the banks of the Weisse Elster river, you can enjoy the whole rich colouring and variety of the horticultural year. Or treat yourself to a stroll through the romantic municipal park of Ronneburg, along the idyllic Baderteich, the castle pond.

The unmistakable Neue Landschaft Ronneburg and its broad expanse contrast with the urban proximity of Hofwiesenpark and Ronneburg municipal park. A gigantic, newly created area, the "New Landscape Ronneburg" is built on part of the renaturised site of the former ore mine. That's 450,000 sq m of scented herb fields, cosmos meadows, roses, prairie bush and an incomparable tree garden: the Large Arboretum. From the plateau of the "Ronneburg Balcony", the panorama opens out onto the picturesque valley of Gessental, which, together with the bordering Ufer-Elster-Park (Elster Riverside Park), links Ronneburg and Gera like a green ribbon of landscape. Whether on foot or by bike, natural beauty is just waiting to be discovered. A place to breathe and relax. Whoever wishes can then watch international competitions on the new inline speed-skating track in Ufer-Elster-Park, which follows the course of the Weisse Elster river and leads to Gera Hofwiesenpark. Start looking forward to a unique composition of landscape, nature, horticultural art and culture ... to a period rich in encounters - in Thuringia, naturally.

Welcome to BUGA‘07. Welcome to Thuringia.
Your BUGA 2007 team

The longest wodden bridge of Europe has been built in preparation of the BUGA 2007 (Bundesgartenschau 2007 - German Federal Garden Show in the year 2007) in the Neue Landschaft  (New Landscape). The architectural masterpiece is called by the people of Gera and Ronneburg "dragon`s tale" because of its wavy form. The bridge is 240 metres long and leads the visitor over the 25 metres deep Gessental to the playground "fire" and to the aboretum.

The unique character of the bridge is caused in its construction made out of one single wooden-tape that is glued together with blocks. This special tape is stretched like a rope in a wavy kind about 50 metres wide. The foundations of the bridge are made out of reinforced concrete. The whole construction of the building combines technical and aesthetical requirements in a creative way.

Wood is not only lighter and cheaper, but as a raw material that grows again, also ecological more meaningful than other materials. It fits naturally into the landscape and increases the intension of the BUGA with regard to environmental development. The construction made out of wood is conceived in such a robust way, that minimal costs for maintenance and a very long duration of life are expected.

From the bridge the visitors can have a fascinating look at the flowering exposition-area and the new built part of the renaturised site of the former ore mine. The light construction of the bridge softly vibrates and may offer the visitors a feeling of "Floating". And so the construction fulfils the conception of a "experience bridge" in every respect.

The bridge will be a part of the cycle-track "Thüringer Städtekette" (a cycle track that combines different towns in Thuringia ). It leads from Altenburg to Creuzburg and takes more than 240 kilometres. The costs of the bridge are about 1,7 Mio. Euro. Because of the support of the ministry of economy, technology and work the financing was possible and successful.