With area of 43hectares and around 22,000 different plant species, the Botanical Garden in Berlin (German: Botanischer Garten und Botanisches Museum Berlin-Dahlem) is considered one of the most important gardens in the world.
The garden is located in the Dahlem neighborhood of the borough of Steglitz-Zehlendorf. It was constructed between 1897 and 1910, under the guidance of architect Adolf Engler, in order to present exotic plants returned from German colonies.
Today, the garden is part of the Free University of Berlin. The Botanical Museum (Botanische Museum), with a large collection of plant preparates (Herbarium, Herbarium Berolinense) and a large scientific library, are attached to the garden.
The complex consists of several buildings and glass-houses, such as the Cactus Pavilion and the Pavilion Victoria (which features a collection of orchids, carnivorous plants and giant white water lilyVictoria-Seerosen). The total area of all glass-houses is 6,000 m². The garden's open-air areas, sorted by geographical origin, have a total area of 13 hectares. The garden's arboretum is 14 hectares.
The most well-known part of the garden is the Great Pavilion (Das Große Tropenhaus), the largest glass-house in the world. The building is a steel structure covered by glass, 25 meters high and 30 by 60 meters in floor area. The temperature inside is maintained at 30 °C and air humidity is kept high. Among the many tropical plants it hosts is a giant bamboo.
References
Christiane Borgelt, Regina Jost, Florian Bolk: "Botanisches Museum & Gewächshäuser der Freien Universität Berlin", Stadtwandel Verlag 2004, Berlin, ISBN 3-937123-10-5[1]
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