Botanical Garden
Team WissensSpuren and Botanical Garden
The Botanical Garden at Leipzig University is the oldest of its kind in Germany, and it ranks among the oldest in Europe, alongside the gardens in Pisa, Padua, and Florence. Over its more than 450-year history the garden has been relocated four times within the city limits of Leipzig. Since 1877 it resides at its current location on Linnéstraße. Today, it serves not only as a hub for teaching and research, but also as a space for fostering interaction and knowledge transfer between the university and the wider community.
History
The origins of the Botanical Garden date back to 1542, when the Dominican Monastery of St. Paul and its apothecary garden were handed over to the young University of Leipzig. Just a few years later, in 1580, the garden became an integral part of university teaching and research with the appointment of Moritz Steinmetz as the first prefect. After several relocations, the garden has been at its current location for nearly 150 years.
The modernization of the greenhouses between 1998 and 2001, along with the growing prominence of biosciences at the university, has further enhanced the garden’s role. With the founding of the German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) in 2012, the demands for a contemporary infrastructure increased. This led to the construction of a modern research greenhouse, which now facilitates cutting-edge experiments. Additional collaborations include the scent and touch garden with the city of Leipzig and the research arboretum ARBOfun Großpösna with iDiv, as well as the Leipzig floodplain crane platform.
With its rich history, the garden reflects both the scientific and cultural identity of the university and the city of Leipzig. As the “Garden of Diversity,” it remains dedicated to nurturing and expanding its plant collection, which serves as a key resource for teaching, research, and knowledge transfer.
Education and Research
How many plant species exist on Earth? How do plants protect themselves from root pests? Which species are particularly sensitive to climate change? How do plants purify water during flooding? These and many other questions are investigated using the plant collections of the garden as well as specially cultivated research species.
The Botanical Garden is an integral part of teaching at the Faculties of Life Sciences, Physics and Earth Sciences, Medicine, and Veterinary Medicine. Overall, its collections are used in nine modules. The plants are used as material for identification courses, ecological experiments, lectures, and guided tours. In addition to traditional teaching materials for systematic botany and plant ecology, experiments on topics such as functional biodiversity and tropical ecology are also conducted. In this way, the garden functions as a dynamic hub for learning and research, benefiting both students and researchers.
Outreach
The Botanical Garden has always been a publicly accessible place where research and knowledge are brought to life. The outdoor areas can be visited free of charge and attract over 150,000 visitors each year. Visitors explore the diversity and beauty of the plant world while engaging with a wide range of events and educational programs that offer new insights into nature.
In collaboration with the Friends of the Botanical Garden, the garden hosts events such as the “Botanical Salon,” workshops, citizen science projects, and art initiatives that foster dialogue and interaction on equal terms. The goal is not only to inform visitors, but also to actively engage them.
The garden’s offerings are further enriched by strong media presence, a botanical school for students of all ages, as well as various workshops and training programs. In this way, the garden creates a vibrant link between science, education, and society.