Great Art and Hidden Treasures

Great Art and Hidden Treasures

Brandenburg is famous for its gardens. Alongside the world-renowned Sanssouci Park, which is part of Potsdam´s UNESCO World Heritage site, there are plenty of other gems to discover.

The Federal State of Brandenburg has many wonderful parks and gardens. Created not only by the Prussian kings and princes, but also by renowned landscape architects such as Peter Joseph Lenné and Prince Hermann of Pückler-Muskau, they still today reflect the garden architecture of the time. In addition to these magnificent parks and gardens, there are many smaller ones to explore, for example Lenné Park, which the city of Frankfurt Oder owes to its dedicated citizens, or Wiesenburg Palace Garden with its unique parterre, located in the Fläming region.

A Garden Tour of Brandenburg

There are fantastic gardens to discover throughout Brandenburg. Twelve garden tours have been specially designed for walkers, cyclists, or skaters. Each tour covers one of the twelve holiday regions of Brandenburg – from the Prignitz or the Uckermark in the north to the Havelland region or Potsdam in the centre and the Spree Forest or the Lusatian Lakeland in the south. On each tour there are not only the gardens but also other highlights to discover, such as museums, impressive buildings, local cuisine or rare plants.

For example, the Pomologican Pleasure and Educational Garden in the Elbe-Elster region, which has more than 400 varieties of fruit tree “from Grandma´s day”, is a real hidden treasure. If you prefer the Asian style of garden, there is the Japanese Bonsai Garden in Ferch in the Havel region, or the Chinese Garden in Zeuthen in the Dahme Lakeland, not far from Berlin´s city border.

Baroque Wonder in Neuzelle

The newly-restored garden at Neuzelle Abbey in Eastern Brandenburg is another outstanding example. The Cistercian monastery and baroque garden, which was fully restored in spring 2022, are located on the River Oder. With its paths and water features from the 18^th century, steep terraces and historic plants, the abbey garden is recognised as being the only baroque garden in Brandenburg. The almost five hectares are where the monks would not only relax and reflect, but would also grow their vines. This tradition was revived by the Abbey Winegrower´s Association in 2002. Since then, seven species of red and white vine can be found growing on the slopes once occupied by robinia trees.

The Forest Botanical Garden in Eberswalde, which belongs to the local university for sustainable development, can boast a particularly wide variety of species. Around 1,200 native and exotic trees grow in the garden, which is open to visitors almost all year round. There are only around half a dozen forest botanical gardens in Germany.

Gardens that were originally horticultural shows

The “Family Garden” in Eberswalde with its diverse play areas is a prime example of how old industrial areas can be re-used and turned into green areas for the whole family to enjoy. The second federal state garden show in Brandenburg was held here. Those interested in similar events in the future should look to the north, where Brandenburg´s next federal state garden show will be held in Wittenberge in 2027.

The town of Forst in Lusatia is famous for its roses. Here, in Southeast Brandenburg, not far from the River Neiße, roses have been growing in the East German Rose Garden for more than 100 years. It was created in 1913 on the weir island in the south of the city, to commemorate the 25^th anniversary of Kaiser Wilhelm II´s coronation. Originally intended as a horticultural show and rose exhibition, it was so successful that it became a permanent attraction, later named the East German Rose Garden.

Cultural events such as theatre performances or concerts are held in parks and gardens throughout Brandenburg. The Brandenburg Summer Concerts, the Havelland Music Festival, the Rheinsberg Summer Music Festival, the Potsdam Night of the Palaces or the Oder-Spree Opera Festival regularly prove how special cultural events in a natural setting can be.

Accessible Tours and Picnics in the Park

Many of Brandenburg´s parks and gardens offer disabled access, for example Rheinsberg Palace Gardens, where authors Theodore Fontane and Kurt Tucholsky would often be seen taking a stroll. Why not spend the day with good friends and a picnic basket full of regional goodies in one of the palace gardens? The baroque Altlandsberg Palace Park and Gardens, for example, is an especially romantic location for a picnic. Or Neuhardenberg in the east of Brandenburg, where there is also a first-class programme of concerts, readings, theatre performances discussions and exhibitions for everyone to enjoy.

Several times a year private owners open their lovingly-tendered gardens to the public during the official “Open Garden Days” and offer visitors a close-up view of their very own gardening world.

Click here for the 12 garden tours:
www.gartentouren-brandenburg.de

For further information:
www.reiseland-brandenburg.de/aktivitaeten-erlebnisse/aktiv-natur/gaerten-parks