Immerse yourself in Zurich’s green oasis

Now in spring, this lovely park in District 1 is particularly inviting. Whilst the financial district at Paradeplatz bustles not far away, the Old Botanical Garden exudes a gentle tranquillity. This is where the people of Zurich come to find refuge and relaxation. That was the case almost 200 years ago when the garden opened, and it remains so today.

Although today’s Old Botanical Garden is a peaceful place, its history was quite the opposite. This idyllic spot beside the river was once a military fortification.

In the mid-19th century, the city of Zurich decided to demolish all its medieval fortifications. It was only with great difficulty that the ‘Zur Katz’ bastion escaped demolition. Incidentally, the whole area is called ‘Zur Katz’ because the high gun emplacements were known as ‘Katzen’ (cats). Due to its commanding height and the beautiful view of the lake and mountains, the rampart at Schanzengraben was chosen as the ideal location for a botanical garden. The new garden was opened in 1837 with the aim of stimulating scientific interest, but also as a place to enjoy a Sunday stroll. It became an extremely popular spot, and the public could even buy seeds and seedlings.

The roots of the Old Botanical Garden, however, lie hidden far, far deeper. As early as the 16th century, the naturalist Conrad Gessner (known from the old 50-franc note) maintained a medicinal herb garden. His descendant Johannes Gessner later founded the ‘Zurich Society of Natural History’. These two Gessners are regarded as the forefathers of today’s Old Botanical Garden. Incidentally, Gessnerallee, near the garden, has nothing to do with the two of them and was named after the painter Salomon Gessner.

Today, the Old Botanical Garden, covering 1.8 hectares, is in all its glory. Alongside 600 plant species, valuable trees and a magnificent palm house, the ‘Gessner Garden’ is the park’s hidden gem. There, 50 medicinal plants pay homage to Conrad Gessner’s old herb garden. From artichokes to wormwood, everything that science at the time believed to have healing properties is present. Yet the garden did not always flourish; in the mid-20th century, the park was even in crisis.

Due to the construction boom, high-rise buildings were rising up in the immediate vicinity of the park, blocking out the light for the plants. Furthermore, its central location made it impossible to expand the park. In addition, noisy traffic was having a negative impact on both the people and the plants in the garden. Around 140 years after it opened, the Botanical Garden was therefore overcrowded and barely accessible. In 1971, the electorate pulled the emergency brake and decided to build a new Botanical Garden.