Akademischer Forstgarten Gießen

The Akademischer Forstgarten Gießen is an educational woodland containing around 200 species of trees and shrubs arranged in geographically organized sections across the grounds. The collections represent forest types from different climates around the world.

The site was founded in 1778 when the University of Giessen established its forestry school and needed a learning forest for students to study. The collections expanded over subsequent decades as new species were added to represent more forest types.

The garden serves as a teaching space where visitors walk among collections that show how different forest regions of the world look and function side by side. People come here to understand the variety of trees and how they fit into larger landscapes.

You can walk through the site free of charge during daylight hours without needing to book ahead or pay for entry. If you would like a guided tour, contact the local forestry office in advance to arrange it.

This site was among the first in Europe to be linked with a forestry university, essentially pioneering modern forest education as a formal university subject. Many of the trees growing here trace their origins to plantings made over 200 years ago.