National Botanical Garden of Israel, Botanical garden on Mount Scopus, Jerusalem, Israel

The National Botanical Garden sits on Mount Scopus in Jerusalem and displays a wide range of plant species from the Middle East and surrounding areas. Walking paths connect different sections with plant collections, while a library and teaching center provide visitors with information and research resources.

The garden was founded in 1931 by Otto Warburg and Alexander Eig, who planted its first tree. After the 1948 war, Mount Scopus became an Israeli enclave in Jordanian territory and the garden was neglected for 19 years; trenches were dug and mines laid. Restoration began in 1980 and the garden reopened in 1988.

The garden's western path is named after author Avigdor Hameiri, and beside the main entrance a stone tablet is carved with his poem "On the Summit of Mount Scopus." In the south, a paved plaza with seating faces the Cave of Nicanor, a five-chamber burial complex from the Second Temple period named for Nicanor, who made the Temple doors.

The garden is easy to reach and has wide paths suitable for most visitors to walk through. Wear comfortable shoes and bring a hat or water depending on the season, as some areas have little shade.

The garden was the first home of the Jerusalem Biblical Zoo from 1947 to 1950. During the 1948 siege, keepers hunted stray dogs near garbage dumps to feed the carnivores; in 1950 the surviving animals were moved down the hill by weekly convoys.