Herrenhausen, Hanover

Hanover’s Green Belt emerged as early as the 17th century and beginning with the creation of the Grosser Garten (Great Garden) at Herrenhausen in 1666, a continuous artistic development of the grounds was undertaken over the next three centuries during which the Georgen, the Welfen and the Berg Garden were added.

Much of the Baroque splendour of the Great Garden is due to the Elector Ernst August and his consort, Sophia, the granddaughter of King James I. Through his marriage to Sophia, Ernst August had given the Hanoverian succession a claim to the throne of England which was accepted by their son when he was crowned George I in 1714.

The Grand Parterre and the special thematic gardens nearby show the development of garden culture through the centuries. Germany’s oldest hedge theatre, dating back to Sophia’s and Ernst August’s time, is still used today during the summer festival weeks. Both the Georgen and the Welfen Gardens were added later in the English style while the Berg Garden was created in the Great Garden era as one of the first botanical gardens in Germany.

The first African Violet brought to Europe came to bloom here in one of the glasshouses. Popular sights at the Berg Garden include the Rain Forest House, a recently added Prairie Garden and the Schmuckhof ornamental courtyard with its beautiful tub plants such as the aromatic Pelargonium.

Herrenhaeuser Gaerten
Herrenhaeuser Straße 4
30419 Hannover
Tel. 0049 511 16847743
Email: [email protected]
Internet: www.hannover.de