Strasbourg University Botanical Garden

The origins of the Strasbourg Botanical Garden trace back to 1619 during a vibrant flourish of Renaissance humanism. Created by Johann Rudolf Saltzmann, a professor of practical medicine, the initial garden was established as an medicinal garden in the Krutenau district on land previously used by a religious convent. Designed to educate medical students on the therapeutic qualities of flora, the collection quickly blossomed as exotic species were imported from botanical expeditions across Europe and beyond. Over the centuries, the garden expanded its collections, but its most poignant chapter occurred during the Siege of Strasbourg in 1870. Cut off from city cemeteries during the heavy bombardment, local residents had to convert the peaceful grounds into a temporary burial place, interring over 1,600 war victims in a matter of weeks. Shellfire damage followed by severe storms destroyed the original glasshouses, leaving the garden's future uncertain. Following the annexation of Alsace-Lorraine, German planners envisioned a magnificent Imperial University and relocated the garden to its present site in 1884. Designed in the romantic English landscape style by architect Hermann Eggert and world-renowned botanist Anton de Bary, the new grounds featured grand arboretums and state-of-the-art glasshouses. Today, this living museum bridges centuries of scientific curiosity and remains a proud green jewel for university researchers and local visitors alike.