Leipzig Botanical Garden, Leipzig

The Leipzig Botanical Garden, maintained by the University of Leipzig, holds the title of the oldest botanical garden in Germany and stands among the oldest in the world. Open daily without charge, it offers a rich tapestry of plant life and history, dating back to at least 1542. The garden's origins are tied to the reform of the university in 1539 when Maurice, Elector of Saxony, donated the Dominican monastery of Saint Pauli. By May 1543, the monastery's garden had been transformed into a hortus medicus, marking the beginning of the botanical collection.

Throughout its history, the garden has endured several relocations and reconstructions. The first site was destroyed during the Thirty Years' War, leading to the establishment of a new garden in 1653 on what is now Grimmaische Street. In 1807, the garden moved again, this time to the grounds of the Pleißemühlgraben, where substantial greenhouses were constructed post-1840. By 1857, the garden had expanded to cultivate over 10,000 species, with 4,500 of these housed in its greenhouses.

Today, the Leipzig Botanical Garden is home to approximately 7,000 plant species, organized into ten special collections. It features a systematic department and geographic plant arrangements representing diverse biomes such as the steppes of Eastern Europe and Asia, northern hemisphere forests, North American prairies, and an alpine garden with flora from Asia, Europe, and South America. The garden also boasts a marsh and pond area showcasing regional plants. Its greenhouses are filled with plants from subtropical and tropical zones, including those from the Mediterranean region, Africa, Central America, and Australia, offering a global botanical experience within the heart of Leipzig.