A beautiful place and a special vision

Once upon a time...

...in August 2010, when entrepreneur Günther Ziegler, owner of Ziegler Spielplätze von A-Z, was looking for a second production site for his expanding company. He found it just 20 minutes from the company headquarters in Zeititz (Bennewitz/Saxony), located on the outskirts of the small village of Beiersdorf.

What he encountered back then was primarily one thing: a vast, overgrown wasteland, full of concrete, dilapidated farm buildings, and collapsed warehouses. Before World War II, the site had been a clay pit. The idyllic lake on the grounds is a testament to this. Kaolin was once mined here. Used as a concrete plant during the GDR era, the area deteriorated and became overgrown after reunification. In 2007, it was purchased by a real estate company. In 2009, plans were made to develop the wasteland into a site for renewable energy.

The vision of the "Ziegler Family Park"

2010: A family park is to be built on the site of a former concrete plant.
© Ziegler Spielplätze von A-Z
Vision in 2012: The reed labyrinth
© Ziegler Spielplätze von A-Z
2010: The existing trees are to be integrated into the natural park design.
© Ziegler Spielplätze von A-Z
Vision in 2012: A forest playground should also be created.
© Ziegler Spielplätze von A-Z
Where there was still a meadow and forest in 2010, there will eventually be...
© Ziegler Spielplätze von A-Z
...overnight accommodation in earth houses
© Ziegler Spielplätze von A-Z
Vision in 2012: The meadow a future pirate playground?!
© Ziegler Spielplätze von A-Z
Vision in 2012: A pirate playground by the lake
© Ziegler Spielplätze von A-Z

The Vision becomes a Mission

Günther Ziegler saw the overgrown land, lying there like Sleeping Beauty, waiting to be awakened. "We'll build an amusement park here," he promised his wife. Together they made plans for the "Ziegler Family Park," which would awaken a sense of adventure and discovery, but also offer space for dreaming and relaxation. Günther Ziegler and his family envisioned a natural environment with original play opportunities made from natural materials and exciting overnight accommodations in individually designed earth houses.

In February 2012, the vision became a mission that continues to this day. It has been a loooong journey, one that many people have walked alongside.

Erste Visualisierung der damaligen Ideen vom Ziegler Familienpark (später: ArkaZien) — First visualization of the ideas for the Ziegler Family Park (later: ArkaZien)

From the Arkazien Chronicles*:	And so the park took shape:
In 2012	The site is being developed.
In 2013	The fishing village and the heron playground are among the first playgrounds to be built.
In 2014	Major projects are being undertaken, such as the earth cellar, the mine, and the fairy forest.
In 2015	The willow labyrinth and the water play area are being created.
In 2016	This year marks the start of construction for the quaint insect hotel, the temple, and the research area.
In 2017	Work will begin on other sections, such as the jungle, the lizard maze, and the greenhouse.
In 2018	The curious market houses and the dancing linden tree are beginning to take shape.
In 2019	Construction will begin this year on the pond, the marketplace and the ball court.
In 2020	Initial work on the amphitheater begins.
In 2021	The terraces at the research area are being built. Construction has also begun on the indoor hall and the pasta restaurant.
In 2022	Construction begins on the entrance building
In 2023	The tavern in the market is being built and the parking lot is also being prepared.
In 2024	Construction of the gatehouse and the book portal at the entrance will begin. Furthermore, the park will receive its current name this year: ArkaZien.
	* Errors excepted

The Name „ArkaZien“

Does this sound familiar to you somehow?

The mythical world of Arcadia lends its name to the park and is thematically deeply connected to ArkaZien. In our park, the mythical beings of the forest god Pan seem to live in harmony with nature, having created their own realm of fantasy and dreams, much like the pastoral idyll of Greek mythology.

The play structures, playhouses, and towers were crafted from the wood of the black locust tree – also known as false acacia. This wood is ubiquitous in ArkaZien and is the origin of the "Z" in the name, as is Günther Ziegler, the creator of ArkaZien. He also owns the company "Ziegler Playgrounds from A to Z," which has inspired many of the play structures in ArkaZien over the years and also produces them on-site.

The name ArkaZien reflects a great deal for us and is more than just ambiguous. It encapsulates everything that is actually indescribable in just one word, and is therefore exactly like our park:

Absolutely einZigartig (Unique).

ArkaZien's dreams aren't over yet!

From the Plum Café to Earth Caves

About a third of the site has been developed so far, and we still have several ideas and projects in the pipeline. A plum café by the lake or rustic overnight accommodations in earth caves – ArkaZien's world will continue to grow and flourish.

When will it be finished? When it's finished! :-)