Witthausbusch, Public park in Mülheim an der Ruhr, Germany.
Witthausbusch is a public park in Mülheim an der Ruhr featuring an animal enclosure that displays rare domestic breeds such as White Horned Heath sheep and Thuringian Forest goats in naturalistic settings. A small stream runs through the grounds, connecting the different sections of the site.
The land belonged to the Witthus farms, recorded on old maps of the Mülheim archive, before the city's beautification association bought it around 1900 and laid it out as a park; members included Hugo Stinnes and August Thyssen. In 2010 the former petting zoo was converted into an enclosure for rare and partly endangered domestic and farm animal breeds.
Just above the Lohbach stand memorials to two local figures: Gerhard Tersteegen, remembered for the hymn "Ich bete an die Macht der Liebe", and Hermann Adam von Kamp, who wrote the song "Alles neu macht der Mai". Near the playground stands the Mülheim pacifier tree, where children hang their dummies.
The park is accessible by public transport and invites leisurely walks through its different areas. Wear comfortable shoes as the grounds feature slopes and multiple pathways to explore.
The animal enclosure was converted in 2010 into a home for rare and partly endangered domestic and farm breeds. Feeding and stroking the animals is still possible, but now only through or over the fences. Near the playground stands Mülheim's dummy tree (Schnullerbaum), where children hang up their pacifiers.
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