Old Botanical Garden Zurich

In the middle of the city, framed by Schanzengraben and Selnau Station and close to the famous Kaufleuten, you'll find the “Old Botanical Garden”, a beautiful green oasis.

The garden was established in 1837 on a hill that had been used to defend the city of Zürich. The underlying Katz bulwark is one of the few surviving structures of the former city fortifications, dating back to the 17^th century. 1851, the palm tree house was added to the garden, and today, it mostly hosts concerts or exhibitions.

In the late 1970ies, Zürich’s official botanical garden was relocated to the eastern part of town because space in the city was too limited, and the shadows of the surrounding houses harmed the plants. Nowadays, the old botanical garden is home to the Museum of Ethnology and offers a place of rest in the middle of the buzzing city.

People from nearby offices use benches and meadows for coffee or lunch breaks or just for reading. Skyscrapers and commercial buildings tower above the old, exotic treetops and the sky is reflected in the water lily pond in front of the museum.

The “Gessner Garten”, a reminiscence of Zürich naturalist Conrad Gessner, includes about 50 medical plants and conveys an idea of historical medical treatments. My favorite hideaway is a bamboo grove, so dense and tall you can hardly believe you are still in the city.

Note: Cycling is prohibited here, and only guide dogs are allowed.