Stadtpark, Hanover

The Hannover City Park (Stadthallengarten) is situated near the Hannover Congress Center, in the Zoo district of Hannover. It's enclosed by Clausewitzstrasse to the east and Kleefelder Strasse to the south. Originally, before the town hall was built, this place, known as Kleine Bult near the railway line towards Braunschweig, was a racetrack starting from 1868, managed by the Hanoverian racing club for horse racing events.

The garden we see today was first designed between 1913 and 1914, named "Stadthallengarten". This design was the work of Hermann Kube, the garden director, and was in collaboration with the town hall architects, Paul Bonatz and Friedrich Eugen Scholer. The town hall and the garden, featuring a long water basin and a light fountain, were opened in June 1914 with a music festival.

In 1933, this garden hosted the “Annual Show of German Garden Culture”. However, during World War II, the town hall was destroyed in the bombings, and the park was heavily damaged. Post-war, it was initially used for agricultural purposes.

The first Federal Garden Show was held here from April 21 to October 31, 1951. This event, spanning about 21 hectares, attracted approximately 1.6 million visitors to Hannover.

Today, the park retains much of its original design and is a heritage site. It features herbaceous beds, a rose garden with about 140 varieties, and rhododendrons. The large water basin was remodeled in 1963/64 based on Erwin Laage's plans, and the fountain garden and terraces were revamped. In 1974, a hotel was constructed at the park's entrance, and in 1980 it became part of the Hannover Congress Center.

One of the park's highlights is the 400 square meter Japanese garden with a tea house, gifted by Hiroshima as a symbol of the city partnership, established in 1996.