Botanical Garden of the University of Zurich, Botanical garden at University of Zurich, Switzerland.
The Botanical Garden of the University of Zurich opened in 1977 at Zollikerstrasse in the Weinegg quarter, on the former Bodmer-Abegg park. Its outdoor grounds hold about 7,000 plant species grouped by habitat, from a Mediterranean garden and a wadi to an Alpinum and a Zurich forest arboretum. Three hemispherical domes of tinted acrylic, the first of their kind in Switzerland, simulate lowland rainforest, mountain rainforest and savannah.
The institution was founded in 1833 as a scientific collection for the university and moved to its current location in 1977. The relocation brought new research facilities and expanded greenhouses that allowed the program to grow.
The garden's name recalls Conrad Gessner, the 16th-century naturalist and city physician, through the Gessner Garden, a medieval herb garden on the hilltop of the Old Botanical Garden at zur Katz. The newer Zollikerstrasse site continues this teaching role with biotopes such as a dyer-plants section showing species used for colouring textiles, and beds of medicinal and useful plants employed for centuries.
The site is easily reached by public transport and has marked paths for visitors to follow. Wear comfortable shoes as the walk covers different levels and paths can become slippery when wet.
The site houses specialized dome structures that create controlled environments where plants from vastly different climate zones can thrive year-round. These engineered buildings sit side by side, each providing conditions from tropical to desert-like regions.
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