Winter lights in the Palmengarten: imaginatively illuminated, mysteriously dark

Festive Christmas trees greet guests at the fountain by the entrance building. An illuminated heart provides the perfect backdrop for selfies. The two largest objects are located on the playground: A ten metre high illuminated globe, accompanied just a few metres away by a slightly smaller moon. Rows of human figures and the popular snowdrops are grouped around them.

Otherwise, there are always surprises: Not just delicious red cherries, but also large jellyfish hanging from the trees. Light bulbs protect themselves from too much light with sunglasses, and an emoji only smiles at those who hold down a buzzer. Small elephants, crocodiles, dragons and caterpillars crawl in the bushes, as does an alien, while elsewhere, rising smoke and the drumming of drums suggest a mysterious ritual in the jungle. An oversized rubber duck splashes around in the pond, while flames flare up in the insect meadow.

A large field of yellow, purple and white tulips could even evoke springtime feelings if the weather wasn’t so cold. A waterfall of bright light flows incessantly down from the roof of the Palm House, while the colour of the rocks and plants at the ‘real’ waterfall changes just as incessantly between yellow, green, blue, red and purple. The trunks and branches of the trees in the palm garden reveal contrasting details that are barely visible in daylight.