Between the 15th of April and the 16th of October 2011 Koblenz, the third largest city in the Rhineland-Palatinate, will be ready to welcome 3 Million expected visitors during the National Garden Show. Every 2 years this event takes place in another town of Germany and it is the first time that Koblenz will be the host for this Horticultural Extravaganza which also includes Landscape Architecture. Preparations are well on the way and what makes it different from former Federal Horticultural Shows is the fact that the main areas of display are located in the town itself. Beside the prestige to host such an event, the town development that goes along with it, will be a huge economical advantage for Koblenz.

The history of Horticultural Shows dates back to the age of colonialism when exotic plants from foreign countries found their way into European gardens of those, who had the financial means and the passion for it. The first Horticultural Shows were organized by the owner of those beautiful gardens and much later, when a commercial breeding of ornamental plants evolved, traders and breeder started organizing those events as well. Finally those public shows got bigger and even more important and the first German National Garden Show (BUGA) took place in Hanover in 1951.

The visitors, coming to Koblenz during the National Garden Show 2011, will need some time to explore 14.000 square meter of Seasonal Plants, 5.000 square meter of Roses, each 6.000 square meter of Shrubs and Groves, 5.000 square meter of Sepulchral Planting, special Themes displayed on 6.700 square meter and a total indoor area of 6.000 square meter. If that sounds a bit too technical to you, display highlights will include the Electoral Castle in the town center with an area of 8.6 hectare and the Ehrenbreitstein Fortress including the Ample Plateau with an area of 27 hectare. Here, visitors will see an Orchid Forest, Vineyards, an Arid Habitat, old Mixed Fruit Orchards and Gardens, rare Bat Species and at the edges of the slope a natural habitat for other endangered species. More Garden Shows are located around the colossal Equestrian Statue of Kaiser Wilhelm I, and off course extensive parks will evolve along the 2 River Banks, stretching from the Deutsches Eck to the Peninsula Oberwerth, a few kilometers upstream.

Another attraction will be the Cable Car, with a length of 850 meters, which will connect the Rhine Park near the Kastor Church with the Plateau in front of the Fortress. This will be the biggest Cable Car outside the Alps in Europe. It will have 18 cabins for each 35 passengers and can transport up to 3.800 passengers per hour in each direction. Since the whole region is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Sight, Upper Middle Rhine Valley, the Cable Car will be dismantled again after 3 years.

A development of the right River Rhine Bank from the Ehrenbreitstein Fortress up to the legendary Loreley Rock is also part of the plans for the National Garden Show. The beauty of Koblenz and the Middle Rhine Valley and the hospitality of their inhabitants, as well as their delicious local food and great wines will help to make this destination even more attractive to visitors way beyond Germany’s largest biennial Federal Horticultural Show in Koblenz 2011.

This is an example of what you can do in Koblenz while traveling in Germany. If you want learn more about Koblenz we compiled a more comprehensive Koblenz travel guide in collaboration with local residents that provides unique travel insider tips which you can use during you Germany vacation.

This article has been written by Monika Petra. She likes to write Germany related travel articles on Live Like a German – a site for exploring Germany, to learn more about its culture / language, and to find great Germany vacation rentals or holiday apartments when going on a Germany vacation.