botanical garden in Klagenfurt

The Botanical Garden in Klagenfurt stands on the edge of the Kreuzbergl hill above the Wörthersee. It occupies a former quarry that once supplied stone for the city. The garden is run by the Kärntner Botanikzentrum, an arm of the Landesmuseum Kärnten, and focuses on native and alpine plants. The garden was founded in 1862 by the Rudolfinum, the forerunner of today’s Landesmuseum. During the Second World War a bombing raid destroyed much of the original site and the Rudolfinum itself. After the war the surviving plants were moved to the abandoned quarry and the garden was rebuilt. It reopened in 1965 as the Botanical Centre, home to the Landesherbar and a seed-exchange programme with more than 360 gardens worldwide. Visitors walk through themed sections: a farm garden, a wetland area, and a garden of medicinal and poisonous herbs. A rocky cliff frames a small waterfall and pond. Inside the centre the Landesherbar holds dried plant collections, including the Herbarium Vivum from 1752. From May to September weekly lectures explore botanical topics, and the institute’s library offers over 30 000 books.