Botanical Garden
Information about the Botanical Garden
The Botanical Garden on Leipziger Straße in the north of Chemnitz is a centre of attraction for visitors of all ages. Covering an area of 12 hectares, the City of Chemnitz facility combines three areas - the Botanical Garden, the School Biology Centre and the Nature Conservation Centre. The common goal is to familiarise the population and especially children and young people with nature in different ways.
Also popular as a local recreation centre, the garden offers its visitors a wealth of information as well as relaxation. The botanical focus is on Central European plant families and useful plants from all over the world.
Both native and exotic plant species can be found here. Wild and useful plants from all tropical regions of the world grow in a display greenhouse. Plants for which it is too warm in the tropical house find optimal conditions in the cold house. There is also a 120 m² area for cacti and succulents.
In addition to the botanical areas, the botanical garden also has a number of animal enclosures. These are exclusively species and breeds that are not on display at Chemnitz Zoo.
In addition to farm animals such as geese, sheep and dwarf goats, eagle owls, ravens and raccoons also live in special species-appropriate enclosures. Small rodents such as hamsters, mice and degus can be seen in a separate building. A special attraction is the aquarium house, where amphibians, reptiles, insects and fish are housed.
All of these animals are cared for and looked after by pupils in working groups. Pupils from Chemnitz schools also come here to find out about the animals and how they are kept as visual aids for lessons.
The botanical garden is the only one of its kind in Germany.
Chemnitz Botanical Garden is part of the network of botanical gardens in Saxony. The Saxon State Foundation for Nature and the Environment has created an overview map on its website:
Park map
School biology centre
In the Chemnitz Botanical Garden, teachers from the LASUB Chemnitz offer numerous teaching events for nature-related and interdisciplinary knowledge transfer.
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History of the Botanic Garden
The Botanical School Garden in Chemnitz was founded in 1898 according to plans by garden director Otto Werner and school headmaster Paul Säurich. The garden was originally only 1 hectare in size and was extended for the first time in 1933. Since then it has had an eventful history >>more
Plants under glass
Tropical plants, Mediterranean plants, succulents and cacti from all over the world are presented in several greenhouses. Particularly worth seeing is the collection of useful plants, where around 100 varieties are constantly on display, which are also found in our daily diet, but where hardly anyone knows how and where they grow. >>more
Outdoor plants
The outdoor plants are presented on the one hand in beds in the approx. 2 hectare traditional garden, and on the other hand the varied terrain profile of the Botanic Garden offers ideal conditions for the presentation of plant communities in Central European biotopes. >>more
Animal enclosure
Various animals are kept in the historical part of the Botanical Gardens to supplement the school curriculum. These are exclusively species and breeds that are not exhibited at Chemnitz Zoo. All animals are cared for and looked after by pupils in working groups. >>more
Youth leisure and clubs
The Botanic Garden has very good conditions for organising events for children and young people. Animals and plants, rooms, tools, equipment such as microscopes, binoculars and projectors can be used by school classes and working groups. In addition to study groups, there are also associations that are active in the Botanic Garden. >>more
events
Exhibition "Plants in the roadside habitat"
35 years of the Green Belt
An exhibition in the Chemnitz Botanical Garden is currently dedicated to the plants of the roadside. This habitat and its well-known, hidden and endearing plant beauties are presented and some of the species found in Chemnitz are portrayed. The photographs were taken by Cornelia Dörr.
The exhibition is open daily from 8 am to 6 pm until 30 September 2025 and is accessible free of charge.