Between Reformation and Innovation
Green innovation meets UNESCO-World Heritage: Where history was made, the future is now taking root. As the first city in Saxony-Anhalt, Lutherstadt Wittenberg is making a long-term commitment to CityTrees from Green City Solutions, turning Schlossplatz into a pioneer for clean air, innovative biotechnology and sustainable urban development.
Climate Adaptation in the Heart of the Old Town
The Wittenberg city administration has specifically commissioned these innovative moss filters to make the historic old town more resilient to the impacts of climate change and to comply with the Federal Climate Adaptation Act (Klimaanpassungsgesetz des Bundes, KAnG). Especially in densely built-up city centers—like “Stone City Wittenberg” , which, as a so-called heat island, is particularly affected by rising temperatures and frequent heatwaves — innovative solutions are in high demand. As the city’s press release explains, not only residents and tourists suffer from these effects, but also local flora and fauna.
Photos: GCS
Green Technology for Better Air Quality
“Wittenberg installs its first two climate trees”, was the headline of the city’s press release. “The real secret lies inside”: The two CityTrees on Schlossplatz are equipped with innovative moss modules. The high-performance plants inside cool and filter the surrounding air—on a minimal footprint. The cooling capacity of the two CityTrees is equivalent to up to 160 newly planted trees, making them an ideal solution for locations where traditional planting is hardly possible.
As “Mein Wittenberg” writes on Facebook: “An ideal solution for places where there simply isn’t room for so many trees.”
On Schlossplatz, for example, heritage protection is another challenge for traditional greening.
The CityTrees provide up to 80% cleaner and up to 4°C cooler air in their immediate surroundings, as our CEO Peter Sänger explained to Mitteldeutscher Rundfunk:
More Than Air Purification: Quality of Stay and Biodiversity
As the MDR report also states, “Wittenberg is taking action to improve quality of life in the city center.”
The moss filters in Wittenberg are surrounded by a planted, hexagonal platform that not only invites people to linger, but also contributes to biodiversity . The city uses peat-free substrate and native, insect-friendly plants that provide abundant pollen and nectar. This further strengthens the „StadtGrün naturnah“ (Nature-Oriented Urban Greenery) label that Wittenberg has held since 2020.
„Besides the positive effect on our city climate, they also offer a great place to sit with a view of the Schlosskirche“, as also noted by Mein Wittenberg on Facebook.
Watering is handled by dedicated “watering sponsors”: ACC Reinigungsservice GmbH and the Tourist Information Office, as the city further reports.
Photos: GCS
Innovative Paths to Sustainable Urban Development
To mark the installation of these bio-digital solutions, Wittenberg hosted a press event on site. Participants included Torsten Zugehör (Mayor of Wittenberg), Stefan Polzer (Head of Urban, Transport, and Landscape Development), Adrian Kuhrmann (Press Spokesperson), our CEO and co-founder Peter Sänger, as well as the “watering sponsors” from ACC Reinigungsservice GmbH and Jasmin Kliebe from the Tourist Information office — along with numerous media representatives.
During the press conference, Peter Sänger emphasized:
„I would like to give a big ‘chapeau’ to the city of Wittenberg for saying: ‘We want to try something new, we want to take an innovative path.’ That is by no means a given, and we are very pleased to be active in a place like this—touristic, historic, and very difficult to green in the traditional way. That’s exactly why we developed this concept more than ten years ago.“
Photos: GCS
Sometimes, “alternative approaches are needed” to achieve above-ground improvements and maximize impact on site.
CityTrees are modular in design, combining moss, irrigation, ventilation, and sensor technology. This allows for solutions tailored to the needs of the city — because “cities are evolving” — as well as to tourism, which, as studies show, sees declining visitor numbers when temperatures exceed 30°C.
The regional focus is also clear:
Developed according to eco-design guidelines, the wood for CityTrees comes from Thuringia, the electronics and control systems are based in Saxony-Anhalt, and the engineering is “made in Brandenburg.”
Funded for the Future
This climate adaptation measure is supported by the “Living Centers” urban development funding program (Städtebauförderprogramm „Lebendige Zentren“), with two-thirds of the costs covered. The total project cost amounts to approximately €136,000.
Photos: GCS
Urban Spaces of the Future
Rely on innovative solutions for clean air, enhanced quality of stay, and sustainable urban development: Our moss-based fresh air concepts offer flexible, effective ways to green urban spaces, improve the microclimate, and actively address the challenges of climate change — especially where conventional urban greenery and its maintenance face limitations.
Would you like to learn more or receive a tailored concept for your municipality, company, or institution?