Botanical Garden Zurich

On the right side of Lake Zürich, behind the trendy Seefeld quarter you will find Zürich's "Current Botanical Garden", which is run by Zürich University.

After the old botanical garden at Schanzengraben, in the city center, had become too small, the people of Zurich decided to create a new botanical garden in 1971. Planned by award-winning Zurich garden architect Fred Eicher, the garden was finalised 1977.

The three greenhouses, made of acrylic plexiglass panes, were the first of their kind planned in Switzerland and remain particularly eye-catching. They were renovated between 2011 and 13. The way the domes sparkle brilliantly in the light against the light green of the meadow and the blue of the sky remind me of a spaceship that has just landed. Or the last forests of humanity, which were sent on a final journey into space in the legendary science fiction Silent Running (The Space Review: Silent Running, running deeper).

The entrance to the greenhouses is reached via a kind of sunken courtyard with a beautiful water lily pond. From there, visitors are guided through the three show houses and different climate zones, namely mountain rainforest, lowland rainforest and savannah. Different flora, temperature and humidity, as well as a rainforest giant model with a visitor platform at six heights, are impressive for adults and children. The entire exhibition is child-friendly and there are benches and places to linger on the lawn and throughout the area.

A small cafe/food truck is available to visitors for refreshments (TWINT or cash only).