Ahornpark Ilfeld

Once upon a time, on a gentle south-facing slope on the edge of the small village of Ilfeld, there was a magical place called Ahornpark. The park was no ordinary forest, but an enchanted garden full of secrets and wonders. On one hectare of land, hidden at the edge of the forest, grew a collection of around 300 different maple trees, each unique and fascinating, as if they had sprung from a fairytale book.

The history of the maple park began in the 1960s. Once a farmland, the area was transformed into a dendrological garden, the Curie Park. Mighty oaks, tall pines and majestic maples grew there, which are over fifty years old and still whisper their stories today.

In the early 2000s, a magical idea was born: a collection of maple trees was to be created, a maple park that would make visitors' hearts beat faster. The first tree, an ash maple, was planted in 1971 by the monastery's forester. A sycamore from 1969 chose its own place and now sits proudly in the park as one of the most magnificent of its kind.

Red torii, Japanese gates that mark the entrance to sacred sites, point the way into the park from afar. Everyone who entered the maple park for the first time was enchanted by the variety and beauty of the trees. Each maple had a tree sponsor, and the botanical names, places of origin, years of planting and dedications could be read on small signs. It was an adventure to discover the little red signs and learn more about the inhabitants of this fairytale forest.

The maples in the park had enchanting names: Golden Sphere Maple, Snakeskin Maple, Paperbark Maple, and many more. Each tree had its own magic, from the blood maple to the fire maple to the cinnamon maple, which conjured up the scent of distant lands. Maples from Canada, Greece, France, Austria, Switzerland, Norway, China, Japan, the Caucasus and the Balkans found a home here. Names such as picturesque maple, red-veined maple, hawthorn-leaved maple, yellow moon maple and the special Kuwagate Hautiwa invited visitors to dream.

The maple park was a place of wonder at any time of year, but in autumn, during the Indian summer, it was a blaze of colour. Red, bordeaux, green, violet, orange, magenta, yellow, purple, pink, brown, olive and all shades in between bathed the park in a magical light that touched the hearts of visitors.

In the northernmost tip of the Free State of Thuringia, a dendrological jewel was created, a place of peace and relaxation, a paradise for nature lovers and hikers. There was a special "Harzer Wandernadel" stamping station here and a meeting place for generations. Since 2014, the members of Ahornpark Ilfeld e.V. have lovingly looked after this magical place, maintaining it and preserving its beauty for future generations.

And if they haven't died ...

Well, the whole thing is not a fairy tale at all! Here, in this enchanted forest, you and your children and grandchildren can experience what true sustainability really means. You will learn how much strength and perseverance it takes to support and preserve nature. The Ahornpark Ilfeld is not only a haven of relaxation and a haven of peace for nature lovers, but also a living testimony of dedication and love for nature.

If you would like to find out more about this unique place, visit our homepage at www.ahornpark-ilfeld.de Immerse yourself in the fairytale world of the maple park, be enchanted by the diversity and splendour of the maples and experience the magical Indian summer right on your doorstep.

And when you walk through the red torii one day, pause for a moment and listen to the whispering of the trees. Because every maple, whether old or young, carries a story within it - a story that is just waiting to be discovered by you.