Royal Gardens of Herrenhausen

"It's the only thing Hanover can shine with," Elector Sofia said of these gardens more than 300 years ago. And although we can not fully agree with it today (the city of Leibniz and the capital of the exhibition movement in Germany is impressive not only this), the Herrenhausen gardens are still one of the most important attractions of our city. The uniqueness lies in the fact that it is “gardens” and not “garden”, that is, Hanover has a rare opportunity to show its guests all the styles of landscape art of Europe XVI – XIX centuries. Destroyed in 1666, Berggarten - one of the oldest botanical gardens in Europe - already in 1686 supplied pineapples to the royal table, and today delights its visitors with colorful rhododendrons, fragile orchids, delicate tropical plants. In 2008, the first Sea Life was opened in northern Germany. The luxurious Grand Garden is a real masterpiece of French Baroque, decorated by all the rules of art with fountains, a labyrinth, a garden theater (the oldest in Europe, operating to this day!). By the way, the Great Fountain itself, reaching a height of 80 m in windless weather, is a European record. The pump system and the pump feeding fountains were developed by the great Leibniz. It is in this garden that the famous fireworks competitions, the festival of original genres, known as the “Little Festival in the Big Garden”, other favorite holidays in the city are held. Here was the summer residence of the Hanoverian rulers, here in 1713 83-year-old Sofia opened a polonaise with the young Peter I. The elderly elector, who invested a piece of her heart in this park, who wrote gardeners from Holland, France, Italy for its decoration, dreamed of dying walking along the paths of this garden. And that's exactly what happened! And finally, the youngest of all (XIX century), Georgengarten, will please lovers of English park art: "real art begins where art is imperceptible." The magnificent landscaped park with majestic trees can be wandered for hours, and the famous linden alley length of 2 km (1300 lip!) is one of the most beautiful views of Hanover.