Science as politics
The imperial university was built to display German prestige in an annexed city.
Ji-Elle โ CC BY-SA 3.0 ยท Jerome SXB โ CC BY 2.0 ยท Flocci Nivis โ CC BY 4.0 ยท Jerome SXB โ CC BY 2.0
A botanical garden of the University of Strasbourg on the historic campus, the second oldest in France, established in its present form in the 1870s. Its history is part of the city's story: the present garden was founded after the German annexation as part of building a great imperial university in Strasbourg, and that university was a political investment as much as a scientific one โ Germany wanted to demonstrate its scientific standing in a newly annexed city. The garden holds thousands of plant species arranged by classification and origin, along with historic glasshouses, the oldest from the end of the nineteenth century, containing tropical plants and succulents. Practical points: the outdoor garden is normally free and open, while the glasshouses may carry a nominal ticket and keep narrower hours. Hours are seasonal and thin out considerably in winter โ check before going. The site is on the university campus, so respect that it is a place of study.
The imperial university was built to display German prestige in an annexed city.
The oldest from the late nineteenth century, with tropicals and succulents.
On the university campus, away from the old-town tourist route.
Historic university campus, Neustadt, Strasbourg
If you are in the Neustadt to see the German architecture, yes โ it is on the way, free and quiet. If you have one day in Strasbourg, the cathedral, the Petite France and the Palais Rohan come well before it.
Late spring and summer for the outdoor garden, when the collections are at their fullest. In winter the outdoor garden is nearly bare and the glasshouses are the only worthwhile part, with narrower hours โ check before going.
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