Alter Botanischer Garten Kiel
Encyclopedia
The Old Botanical Garden in Kiel (2.5 hectares), also known as the Old Botanical Garden on the Fjord (Alter Botanischer Garten an der Förde), is a former botanical garden
and arboretum
located at Düsternbrooker Weg 19, Kiel
, Schleswig-Holstein
, Germany
. It is open daily without charge.
Kiel has had various botanical gardens since 1668, when professor Johann Daniel Major (1634–1693) established his horticus medicus within the garden of Kiel Castle
. It is unclear whether this garden survived the Danish occupation of 1675-1676. Subsequent gardens were established on the site of the former Franciscan monastery on the Falckstraße (from 1727) and the garden at the Prüne (from 1803). No trace of these early gardens remains.
The Old Botanical Garden began as the private park of tobacco manufacturer Abraham Christian Brauer, who in 1825 created a garden with curved walkways, differentiated woody plantings, a swan pond, and excellent views of Kiel's fjord
landscape. Upon his death in 1868 the site was acquired by the University of Kiel
, and from 1878-1884 was refashioned by botanist
Adolf Engler
as a botanical garden, introducing geographic plantings of exotic species while preserving the landscape aesthetics. In 1891 the university added a hilltop pavilion, an octagonal brick building with a graceful dome of iron mesh, and in 1906 added the garden inspector's cottage. After the university created a new botanical garden on its campus in 1978 (the University Botanical Gardens
), the garden became a public park in 1980. Its fence and pavilion were extensively restored from 1984–1994, and since 1998 the cottage has served as the Literature House of Schleswig-Holstein.
Today the garden contains more than 280 species
of diverse herbaceous flora, with an interesting collection of trees that includes one of the largest ginkgo trees in Schleswig-Holstein, two specimens of Metasequoia glyptostroboides
said to be the oldest of their kind on the Europe
an mainland (planted circa 1948 from Arnold Arboretum seeds), and mature specimens of Amur cork tree, Juniperus rigida
, Sequoia sempervirens, and Taxodium distichum
. The garden also contains two ponds, lawn areas, and perennial flower beds.
Botanical garden
A botanical garden The terms botanic and botanical, and garden or gardens are used more-or-less interchangeably, although the word botanic is generally reserved for the earlier, more traditional gardens. is a well-tended area displaying a wide range of plants labelled with their botanical names...
and arboretum
Arboretum
An arboretum in a narrow sense is a collection of trees only. Related collections include a fruticetum , and a viticetum, a collection of vines. More commonly, today, an arboretum is a botanical garden containing living collections of woody plants intended at least partly for scientific study...
located at Düsternbrooker Weg 19, Kiel
Kiel
Kiel is the capital and most populous city in the northern German state of Schleswig-Holstein, with a population of 238,049 .Kiel is approximately north of Hamburg. Due to its geographic location in the north of Germany, the southeast of the Jutland peninsula, and the southwestern shore of the...
, Schleswig-Holstein
Schleswig-Holstein
Schleswig-Holstein is the northernmost of the sixteen states of Germany, comprising most of the historical duchy of Holstein and the southern part of the former Duchy of Schleswig...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. It is open daily without charge.
Kiel has had various botanical gardens since 1668, when professor Johann Daniel Major (1634–1693) established his horticus medicus within the garden of Kiel Castle
Kiel Castle
Kiel Castle in Kiel in the north German state of Schleswig-Holstein was one of the secondary residences of the Gottorf dukes. The castle exhibited a very varied architectural history and in the more recent architectural period became one of the most important secular buildings in Schleswig-Holstein...
. It is unclear whether this garden survived the Danish occupation of 1675-1676. Subsequent gardens were established on the site of the former Franciscan monastery on the Falckstraße (from 1727) and the garden at the Prüne (from 1803). No trace of these early gardens remains.
The Old Botanical Garden began as the private park of tobacco manufacturer Abraham Christian Brauer, who in 1825 created a garden with curved walkways, differentiated woody plantings, a swan pond, and excellent views of Kiel's fjord
Fjord
Geologically, a fjord is a long, narrow inlet with steep sides or cliffs, created in a valley carved by glacial activity.-Formation:A fjord is formed when a glacier cuts a U-shaped valley by abrasion of the surrounding bedrock. Glacial melting is accompanied by rebound of Earth's crust as the ice...
landscape. Upon his death in 1868 the site was acquired by the University of Kiel
University of Kiel
The University of Kiel is a university in the city of Kiel, Germany. It was founded in 1665 as the Academia Holsatorum Chiloniensis by Christian Albert, Duke of Holstein-Gottorp and has approximately 23,000 students today...
, and from 1878-1884 was refashioned by botanist
Botany
Botany, plant science, or plant biology is a branch of biology that involves the scientific study of plant life. Traditionally, botany also included the study of fungi, algae and viruses...
Adolf Engler
Adolf Engler
Heinrich Gustav Adolf Engler was a German botanist. He is notable for his work on plant taxonomy and phytogeography, like Die Natürlichen Pflanzenfamilien , edited with Karl A. E...
as a botanical garden, introducing geographic plantings of exotic species while preserving the landscape aesthetics. In 1891 the university added a hilltop pavilion, an octagonal brick building with a graceful dome of iron mesh, and in 1906 added the garden inspector's cottage. After the university created a new botanical garden on its campus in 1978 (the University Botanical Gardens
Botanischer Garten der Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel
The Botanischer Garten der Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel , or less formally the Botanischer Garten Kiel, is a botanical garden and arboretum maintained by the University of Kiel...
), the garden became a public park in 1980. Its fence and pavilion were extensively restored from 1984–1994, and since 1998 the cottage has served as the Literature House of Schleswig-Holstein.
Today the garden contains more than 280 species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
of diverse herbaceous flora, with an interesting collection of trees that includes one of the largest ginkgo trees in Schleswig-Holstein, two specimens of Metasequoia glyptostroboides
Metasequoia glyptostroboides
Metasequoia glyptostroboides, the dawn redwood, is a fast-growing, critically endangered deciduous conifer tree, sole living species of the genus Metasequoia, and one of three species of conifers known as redwoods. It is native to the Sichuan-Hubei region of China...
said to be the oldest of their kind on the Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an mainland (planted circa 1948 from Arnold Arboretum seeds), and mature specimens of Amur cork tree, Juniperus rigida
Juniperus rigida
Juniperus rigida is a species of juniper, native to northern China, Korea, Japan, and the far southeast of Russia , occurring at altitudes of 10-2,200 m. It is closely related to Juniperus communis and Juniperus conferta , the latter sometimes treated as a variety or subspecies of J...
, Sequoia sempervirens, and Taxodium distichum
Taxodium distichum
Taxodium distichum is a species of conifer native to the southeastern United States.-Characteristics:...
. The garden also contains two ponds, lawn areas, and perennial flower beds.
See also
- List of botanical gardens in Germany
- Botanischer Garten der Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu KielBotanischer Garten der Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu KielThe Botanischer Garten der Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel , or less formally the Botanischer Garten Kiel, is a botanical garden and arboretum maintained by the University of Kiel...
External links
- The Old Botanical Garden in Kiel at city-map.de
- Garden history
- Alter Botanische Garten at www.kiel.de
- Alter Botanischer Garten Kiel at www.historischegaerten.de]
- Alter Botanischer Garten at www.gartenrouten-sh.de