An oasis in the hustle and bustle of the metropolis, the Berlin Botanic Garden is a plant paradise of world importance with a history of over 300 years. It had a forerunner in the early 17th century that came from the princely kitchen and herbal garden which was located in the pleasure gardens of the Berlin castle. In 1679 the Great Elector gave instructions to open an agricultural model garden which was laid out in Schöneberg, a village near Berlin and now one of its districts, on the grounds of the present day Kleist park. Two hundred years later at the beginning of this century, it was relocated to Dahlem, due to the lack of space in Schöneberg.
Today the Botanic Garden Berlin-Dahlem comprises an area of 126 acres and hence is one of the world´s largest and most important gardens. About 20,000 different species of plants are cultivated here. In the 39 acres of the plant-geography section - one of the biggest of its kind in the world - you can travel all the way around the Northern Hemisphere, and in the 42 acre Arboretum and taxonomy section you can get an insight into the relationship among woody and herbaceous plants.
The greenhouse complex consists of 16 houses open to the public and offers the possibility to travel through tropical and subtropical vegetation. These living collections, along with the preserved collections, form the basis for the continued expansion of scientific study within the plant kingdom, with the goal to deepen the knowledge necessary for the utilization and protection of plant diversity on earth. In addition, the Botanic Garden provides the opportunity for the visitor to recuperate in a very pleasant environment amidst the beauties of nature, and to learn more about the multifarious world of plants.