Botanical Garden of the University of Bologna

The Botanical Garden of Bologna, one of the oldest botanical gardens in Europe, is a fascinating journey into the world of botany, history, and science. Founded in 1568, it owes its existence to the work of the botanist Ulisse Aldrovandi, who inherited the position from his predecessor Luca Ghini. Located in Via Irnerio, in the heart of Bologna, the garden covers an area of about 2 hectares and houses over 5,000 specimens representing 1,200 taxa. The first nucleus of the garden was established in the Palazzo Pubblico, near the current Sala Borsa, but in 1587 it was transferred to a larger site near Borghetto San Giuliano, now Porta Santo Stefano. Under the direction of Bartolomeo Ambrosini, in 1653, the garden already had a catalog of about 1,500 species. Its primary function was educational: to offer students the opportunity to observe and study medicinal plants, a fundamental aspect of medical education at the time. In 1740, the Botanical Garden was moved to Porta Santo Stefano, where in 1745 an ibernaculum was built to house exotic plants during the winter. The neoclassical greenhouses, designed by Francesco Tadolini in 1765, still adorn the garden in Via San Giuliano. The history of the garden is marked by periods of prosperity and moments of difficulty. In the early twentieth century, the botanical garden was in a state of neglect and suffered serious damage during the bombings of World War II. However, in the post-war period, a long process of restoration and recovery began that brought the garden back to its former glory. Today, the Botanical Garden of Bologna is a modern and dynamic structure, part of the University of Bologna’s Museum System since 1996. The garden is divided into various thematic sections that allow visitors to explore different botanical collections. The front garden mainly houses trees such as Albizia julibrissin, Ginkgo biloba, Ilex aquifolium, and Liriodendron tulipifera. In the back garden, a reconstruction of a local broadleaf forest is accompanied by tropical greenhouses and thematic collections, including alpine and carnivorous plants. The tropical greenhouses, with their collections of bromeliads, orchids, coffee plants, palms, and medicinal plants, offer an exotic and fascinating spectacle. The succulent plant greenhouse, with about 5,000 specimens from Central America, South America, Africa, Madagascar, and the Canary Islands, is another point of great interest. The carnivorous plant greenhouse, which houses specimens of the genera Drosera, Pinguicula, and Utricularia, represents one of the most curious and unique collections in the garden. The Herb Garden, a traditional section of the garden, is dedicated to medicinal plants and herbs, arranged according to their most common uses. This garden, which recalls the origins of the Botanical Garden as a garden of medicinal herbs, offers a unique educational experience, showing the importance of plants in traditional medicine. The garden also houses part of the Department of Biological, Geological, and Environmental Sciences of the University of Bologna. Two buildings and four greenhouses, two tropical and two for succulent plants, host research and educational activities, contributing to the educational and scientific mission of the garden. The history of the Botanical Garden is enriched with numerous anecdotes and illustrious figures. Ulisse Aldrovandi, the founder, was a pioneer in botany and natural history, whose collection of plants, minerals, and animals laid the foundation for many modern natural sciences. Aldrovandi, with his passion for cataloging and classification, helped transform the botanical garden into a center of scientific and educational excellence.