Biosphäre Potsdam, Tropical garden in Volkspark, Potsdam, Germany.
Biosphäre Potsdam is a 7,000 m² indoor tropical botanical garden in Volkspark Potsdam, designed by Berlin architects Barkow Leibinger. It holds about 20,000 tropical plants of some 350 species, including a palm grove, a mangrove swamp, two lakes and a waterfall, with trees reaching 14 metres.
The Biosphäre was built on the former military grounds of the Bornstedter Feld, redeveloped for the Bundesgartenschau 2001; the design came from the Berlin office Barkow Leibinger. The building cost 29 million euros, 21.5 million of it state funds tied to use as a tourist facility until 2016. In 2016 the city planned closure for 30 November 2017, but in April 2017 reversed course and sought a private operator for 20 years.
The Biosphäre opened in 2001 for the Bundesgartenschau on the former military site of Bornstedter Feld. Its butterfly house, opened in May 2009, welcomed its millionth visitor in 2016. Evening events for adults and children run mainly in winter, and children's groups can book a treasure hunt or jungle adventure.
The hall stands in the Volkspark Potsdam at Georg-Hermann-Allee 99, between Sanssouci Park and the Neuer Garten; it is open daily and charges admission. The 7,000 m² interior is laid out over several levels using soil, water and air as design elements, so allow time to walk the route through the palm grove, mangrove swamp and two lakes. Evening events for adults and children run mainly in the winter months, and groups can book a treasure hunt or jungle adventure.
Trees grow up to 14 meters tall inside, giving visitors a sense of actual rainforest depth. This height allows rare orchids and epiphytes to flourish in their natural forms.
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