Orto Botanico di Brera, Botanical garden in central Milan, Italy
The Orto Botanico di Brera is a botanical garden in central Milan situated behind Palazzo Brera, covering several thousand square meters with organized planting areas. Its layout features rectangular beds with brick borders and two oval ponds that create distinct zones for displaying and studying plant collections.
The garden was founded in 1774 by Abbot Fulgenzio Vitman on land that previously belonged to the Jesuits, transformed under Empress Maria Theresa of Austria. It became an academic center for botanical research and plant studies.
The garden works as a place where students and visitors can explore plant diversity, with attention to their uses in medicine and daily life. The collections show how different species serve practical purposes across various fields.
The garden is located at Via Brera 28 and opens on weekdays with no entrance fee required. The best times to visit are morning and early afternoon hours when you can see the garden in good light and observe its active rhythms.
The garden houses one of Europe's oldest Ginkgo biloba trees, which has grown there for generations and become a landmark of the place. This ancient specimen represents centuries of botanical observation and study.
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