Alter Botanischer Garten (Old Botanical Garden), Zurich

The Old Botanical Garden (Alter Botanischer Garten) in Zurich, holds significant historical and cultural importance as a botanical garden and arboretum. It is located within the remains of Zürich's Baroque fortifications, including the Schanzengraben moat and the Bauschänzli bastion, which were built starting in 1642.

The garden's origins can be traced back to the efforts of Conrad Gessner (1516–1565), a key figure whose personal herbarium laid the foundation for botanical studies in Zurich. In 1746, Johannes Gessner (1709–1790), a descendant of Conrad Gessner and a physician and naturalist, established Zurich's first botanical garden, with support from the Zurich Botanical Society (Naturforschende Gesellschaft Zürich).

After relocating to the Schimmelgut area in 1833 to make way for the newly established University of Zurich, the garden underwent significant developments, including the creation of the plant site at the Schanzengraben moat in 1837, designed by university gardener Leopold Karl Theodor Fröbel (1810–1907). The Palmhaus, a greenhouse made of glass and wood, was added in 1851, followed by an octagonal glass pavilion with an iron frame in 1877, primarily used for cultural events.

Due to limited space and deteriorating conditions, the garden administration decided to move to the spacious Bodmer-Abegg family park in the Weinegg quarter in 1971, opening the new botanical garden in 1976. The original site, now referred to as the Old Botanical Garden, serves as a recreational area, housing the Ethnological Museum (Völkerkundemuseum) of the University of Zurich, an arboretum, and the Gessner-Garten.

The arboretum, situated on the tranquil Schanzengraben moat, remains a notable attraction, offering a serene retreat in the heart of Zurich. The Gessner-Garten, established on May 27, 1997, atop the southern gun bastion of Zurich's fortifications, honors Conrad Gessner. It features 50 medicinal plants from the 16th century, along with quotes from period healers, providing insight into historical medicinal practices.