Perhaps your mobile GPS receiver is not as accurate as you think. Right here at the GPS-Referenzpunkt egapark, you can test its precision. This GPS-Referenzpunkt egapark offers a free service for citizens and tourists.
Installed in August 2016, this reference plate allows you to check your smartphone or navigation device. The Amt f\u00fcr Geoinformation und Bodenordnung, in cooperation with DVW Th\u00fcringen, made this possible.
GPS stands for Global Positioning System. Around 30 satellites orbit the Earth. Ground stations measure their orbits precisely. Your smartphone uses signals from these satellites to calculate its position. Originally for military use, GPS is now used commercially.
The Landesamt f\u00fcr Vermessung und Geoinformation determined the reference point’s location with centimeter accuracy. The exact coordinates are engraved on the plate. You can compare your device’s reading to the engraved coordinates. A QR code on the plate provides instructions. This tells you how accurate your mobile GPS receiver is.
The DVW Th\u00fcringen promotes geodesy, geoinformation, and land management. This non-profit organization aims to raise public awareness of these fields.
The GPS-Referenzpunkt egapark is located at the Aussichtspunkt Buchenwaldblick. From here, you can see the Gedenkst\u00e4tten-Glockenturm on the Weimarer Ettersberg, about 18 km away. The reference point’s coordinates match those of a geocache. This allows you to check your receiver’s accuracy directly.
The egapark itself is one of Germany’s large garden and leisure parks. It covers 37 hectares. Annually, around 450,000 visitors come to the egapark. This makes it one of Th\u00fcringen’s most visited attractions. The egapark is often called the \u201eGarten Th\u00fcringens.\u201c
The egapark is open daily. From November to mid-March, the winter hours are 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM and admission is free. From mid-March to October, the park is open from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM and there is an admission fee.
The park has a long history. Since the 1920s, the area around the Cyriaksburg citadel has been a green space. In 1950, the garden show \u201eErfurt bl\u00fcht\u201c took place here. In 1961, the \u201eiga\u00b461\u201c opened as a teaching and education center for socialist horticulture.
Between 1961 and 1989, around 37 million guests visited the garden and special exhibitions. In 1991, the Erfurter Garten- und Ausstellungs GmbH (ega) was founded. The park is a time document of German garden architecture from the 1960s. It has been a protected monument since 1992.
The Bundesgartenschau 2021 added another chapter to the park’s history. Large themed gardens were redesigned and the horticultural quality was improved. The W\u00fcsten- und Urwaldhaus Danakil is a year-round attraction. In 2022, the egapark was Th\u00fcringen’s most visited tourist destination.
So, next time you’re navigating with your smartphone, remember this spot. The GPS-Referenzpunkt egapark is where accuracy meets history and nature. Take a moment to test your device. Enjoy the beautiful views, and appreciate the rich heritage of this unique location.