diff --git a/client/src/components/photo-gallery.tsx b/client/src/components/photo-gallery.tsx
index 71c7db7..3a8e3fa 100644
--- a/client/src/components/photo-gallery.tsx
+++ b/client/src/components/photo-gallery.tsx
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import { useQuery } from "@tanstack/react-query";
 import { useState, useEffect, useCallback } from "react";
-import { ChevronLeft, ChevronRight, X, Images } from "lucide-react";
+import { ChevronLeft, ChevronRight, X, Images, Maximize2 } from "lucide-react";
 
 interface GalleryImage {
   folder: string;
@@ -79,6 +79,92 @@ function Lightbox({
   );
 }
 
+function SingleImageCarousel({
+  images,
+  autoPlay = true,
+  interval = 5000,
+  onExpand,
+}: {
+  images: GalleryImage[];
+  autoPlay?: boolean;
+  interval?: number;
+  onExpand?: (index: number) => void;
+}) {
+  const [index, setIndex] = useState(0);
+  const [paused, setPaused] = useState(false);
+
+  const prev = useCallback(() => setIndex((i) => (i - 1 + images.length) % images.length), [images.length]);
+  const next = useCallback(() => setIndex((i) => (i + 1) % images.length), [images.length]);
+
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (!autoPlay || paused || images.length <= 1) return;
+    const timer = setInterval(next, interval);
+    return () => clearInterval(timer);
+  }, [autoPlay, paused, next, interval, images.length]);
+
+  if (images.length === 0) return null;
+
+  return (
+    <div
+      className="relative w-full h-full"
+      onMouseEnter={() => setPaused(true)}
+      onMouseLeave={() => setPaused(false)}
+    >
+      <div className="relative w-full aspect-[4/3] overflow-hidden rounded-b-lg">
+        <img
+          src={images[index].large || images[index].thumb}
+          alt={images[index].fileName}
+          className="w-full h-full object-cover transition-opacity duration-500"
+          loading="lazy"
+          data-testid="img-gallery-current"
+        />
+
+        <div className="absolute inset-0 bg-gradient-to-t from-black/40 via-transparent to-transparent" />
+
+        <button
+          onClick={prev}
+          className="absolute left-1.5 top-1/2 -translate-y-1/2 w-7 h-7 rounded-full bg-black/50 hover:bg-black/70 flex items-center justify-center text-white/80 hover:text-white transition-all"
+          data-testid="button-gallery-prev"
+        >
+          <ChevronLeft className="w-4 h-4" />
+        </button>
+
+        <button
+          onClick={next}
+          className="absolute right-1.5 top-1/2 -translate-y-1/2 w-7 h-7 rounded-full bg-black/50 hover:bg-black/70 flex items-center justify-center text-white/80 hover:text-white transition-all"
+          data-testid="button-gallery-next"
+        >
+          <ChevronRight className="w-4 h-4" />
+        </button>
+
+        {onExpand && (
+          <button
+            onClick={() => onExpand(index)}
+            className="absolute top-2 right-2 w-7 h-7 rounded-full bg-black/50 hover:bg-black/70 flex items-center justify-center text-white/80 hover:text-white transition-all"
+            data-testid="button-gallery-expand"
+          >
+            <Maximize2 className="w-3.5 h-3.5" />
+          </button>
+        )}
+
+        <div className="absolute bottom-2 left-0 right-0 flex justify-center gap-1">
+          {images.slice(0, Math.min(images.length, 20)).map((_, i) => (
+            <button
+              key={i}
+              onClick={() => setIndex(i)}
+              className={`w-1.5 h-1.5 rounded-full transition-all ${i === index ? "bg-white w-3" : "bg-white/40 hover:bg-white/60"}`}
+              data-testid={`button-gallery-dot-${i}`}
+            />
+          ))}
+          {images.length > 20 && (
+            <span className="text-white/50 text-[9px] ml-1">+{images.length - 20}</span>
+          )}
+        </div>
+      </div>
+    </div>
+  );
+}
+
 export function PhotoGalleryWidget() {
   const { data: images, isLoading } = useQuery<GalleryImage[]>({
     queryKey: ["/api/gallery"],
@@ -93,19 +179,13 @@ export function PhotoGalleryWidget() {
           <Images className="w-4 h-4 text-primary" />
           <h3 className="font-bold text-card-foreground text-sm">Fotogalerie</h3>
         </div>
-        <div className="grid grid-cols-3 gap-0.5 p-0.5">
-          {Array.from({ length: 6 }).map((_, i) => (
-            <div key={i} className="aspect-square bg-muted animate-pulse" />
-          ))}
-        </div>
+        <div className="aspect-[4/3] bg-muted animate-pulse" />
       </div>
     );
   }
 
   if (!images || images.length === 0) return null;
 
-  const preview = images.slice(0, 6);
-
   return (
     <>
       <div className="bg-card rounded-lg border border-card-border overflow-hidden h-full" data-testid="widget-gallery">
@@ -113,23 +193,12 @@ export function PhotoGalleryWidget() {
           <Images className="w-4 h-4 text-primary" />
           <h3 className="font-bold text-card-foreground text-sm">Fotogalerie</h3>
         </div>
-        <div className="grid grid-cols-3 gap-0.5 p-0.5">
-          {preview.map((img, i) => (
-            <button
-              key={i}
-              onClick={() => setLightboxIndex(i)}
-              className="aspect-square overflow-hidden cursor-pointer group"
-              data-testid={`button-gallery-${i}`}
-            >
-              <img
-                src={img.thumb}
-                alt={img.fileName}
-                className="w-full h-full object-cover transition-transform duration-300 group-hover:scale-110"
-                loading="lazy"
-              />
-            </button>
-          ))}
-        </div>
+        <SingleImageCarousel
+          images={images}
+          autoPlay={true}
+          interval={5000}
+          onExpand={(i) => setLightboxIndex(i)}
+        />
       </div>
 
       {lightboxIndex !== null && (
@@ -153,29 +222,24 @@ export default function GalleryPage() {
   return (
     <div data-testid="page-gallery">
       {isLoading ? (
-        <div className="grid grid-cols-2 sm:grid-cols-3 md:grid-cols-4 lg:grid-cols-5 gap-2">
-          {Array.from({ length: 20 }).map((_, i) => (
-            <div key={i} className="aspect-square bg-card rounded-lg animate-pulse" />
-          ))}
+        <div className="max-w-3xl mx-auto">
+          <div className="aspect-[4/3] bg-card rounded-lg animate-pulse" />
+        </div>
+      ) : images && images.length > 0 ? (
+        <div className="max-w-3xl mx-auto">
+          <div className="bg-card rounded-lg border border-card-border overflow-hidden">
+            <SingleImageCarousel
+              images={images}
+              autoPlay={false}
+              onExpand={(i) => setLightboxIndex(i)}
+            />
+          </div>
+          <p className="text-center text-muted-foreground text-sm mt-3" data-testid="text-gallery-count">
+            {images.length} Fotos
+          </p>
         </div>
       ) : (
-        <div className="grid grid-cols-2 sm:grid-cols-3 md:grid-cols-4 lg:grid-cols-5 gap-2">
-          {(images || []).map((img, i) => (
-            <button
-              key={i}
-              onClick={() => setLightboxIndex(i)}
-              className="aspect-square overflow-hidden rounded-lg cursor-pointer group"
-              data-testid={`button-gallery-full-${i}`}
-            >
-              <img
-                src={img.thumb}
-                alt={img.fileName}
-                className="w-full h-full object-cover transition-transform duration-300 group-hover:scale-110"
-                loading="lazy"
-              />
-            </button>
-          ))}
-        </div>
+        <p className="text-center text-muted-foreground">Keine Fotos vorhanden</p>
       )}
 
       {lightboxIndex !== null && images && (