Schynige Platte Alpine Garden, Alpine botanical garden in Gündlischwand, Switzerland.
The Schynige Platte Alpine Garden is a botanical garden at 1967 meters in elevation that displays around 800 plant species native to the Swiss Alps. The collection features different specialized areas where plants grow under conditions that match their natural mountain habitats.
The garden was founded in 1928 by fencing in about 8000 square meters of former alpine pasture and opened to the public in 1929. The University of Bern began conducting botanical courses here in 1932 and has used the site for teaching and research ever since.
The garden serves as a teaching and research site for the University of Bern, where students observe alpine plants directly in their mountain setting. Visitors can watch how the university continues to study and document the mountain flora today.
The garden is accessible only by the Schynige Platte cog railway from Wilderswil station, with admission included in the train ticket. Plan to spend a full day for the train journey, exploring the site, and returning to the valley.
The garden sits on former alpine pastureland, allowing plants to grow in the same mountain conditions where they naturally occur. This means visitors walk through what feels like natural mountain ecosystems rather than a typical cultivated garden.
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