Bucharest Botanical Garden facts for kids
The Bucharest Botanical Garden (called Grădina Botanică din Bucureşti in Romanian) is a beautiful park located in the Cotroceni area of Bucharest, the capital city of Romania. It's a huge green space, covering about 17.5 hectares. To give you an idea, that's like 25 football fields!
This amazing garden is home to more than 10,000 different kinds of plants. It even has special greenhouses that cover 4,000 square meters, which is about the size of a large supermarket. These greenhouses help grow plants that need warmer weather.
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Discover the Bucharest Botanical Garden
The Bucharest Botanical Garden is a fantastic place to learn about plants. It's not just a park; it's also a living museum where you can see plants from all over the world. Many students and scientists visit to study the diverse plant life.
A Look Back in Time
The idea for a botanical garden in Bucharest started a long time ago.
How it Began
The very first botanical garden in Bucharest was created in 1860. It was set up near the Medicine Faculty by a person named Carol Davila. He was an important figure in medicine.
Early Directors
The first director of the garden was a botanist named Ulrich Hoffmann. A botanist is a scientist who studies plants. Six years later, Dimitrie Grecescu took over as director.
Moving to a New Home
The garden wasn't always in its current spot. In 1884, it was moved to where it is today. This move was led by Dimitrie Brândză, a Romanian botanist, and Fuchs, a Belgian landscape architect. A landscape architect designs outdoor spaces.
Opening to the Public
The new gardens officially opened in 1891. This happened after the special greenhouses were finished being built.
Challenges Through History
The garden has faced some tough times over the years.
World Wars Impact
During World War I, the garden was used by German troops. This caused some damage to the plants and facilities. Later, during World War II, the garden was hit by bombs from Anglo-American planes. This also caused significant damage.
What You Can See There
Today, the Bucharest Botanical Garden is a peaceful and educational place.
The Botanical Museum
Inside the garden, there is a special building called the Botanical Museum. It's built in a traditional Romanian style called Brâncovenesc style. This museum is located close to the main entrance.
Museum Collections
The museum displays more than 5,000 different kinds of plants. About 1,000 of these are exotic plants, meaning they come from faraway places. It's a great way to see plants you might not find in Romania.
