Botanical Garden of Bologna
Currently located in Via Irnerio, near the university area, the Botanical Garden of Bologna originally stood in a much more central area, which corresponds to today's location of the Sala Borsa.
The Botanical Garden of Bologna is one of the oldest botanical gardens in Italy and in the world. Its foundation dates back to 1568, and at that time there were only three other similar places in our country, Pisa, Padua and Florence. It is therefore a place of great historical significance, not least because of its illustrious founder, Ulisse Aldrovandi.
Ulisse Aldrovandi
A naturalist and botanist of great renown,
Ulisse Aldrovandi (1522-1605) is one of the best known scientists in Bologna. Although he boasted eclectic university studies, Aldrovandi is particularly remembered for his great interest and
discoveries in the field of botany, rooted in the conviction that it was necessary to study nature independently, without the influence of religion and metaphysics.
It was during one of his lectures that the need arose to create a public botanical garden where he could cultivate plants to show his students during courses. Thus, the city's first Botanical Garden was born, which remained under Aldrovandi's direction for almost forty years.
The garden grew considerably over time as did his knowledge of nature, so much so that he had to move to larger premises. It was finally moved to its current location in 1803, where it is still managed by the University of Bologna.
What to see at the Botanical Garden
The subject of recent redevelopment work, the Botanical Garden of Bologna covers an area of about 2 hectares and contains several sections. On one side there are some wooded areas, in which the
typical natural environments of the plains near Bologna and hills have been recreated, thus reconstructing a faithful image of nature.
On the other, the garden contains various collections of non-native plants, such as
carnivorous and succulent plants, as well as a greenhouse entirely dedicated to
tropical plants. One of the highlights of the Botanical Garden is the Herbarium of the University of Bologna, consisting of approximately one hundred and thirty thousand dried plants and including the famous collections of Ulisse Aldrovandi.
