Garten der Welt

Garten der welt is a collection of international gardens in Berlin Lichtenberg

Garten der Welt

Garten Der Welt is a curious collection of global gardens in East Berlin. The site can be reached from a few different entrances, the slickest of these being via cable car. The original installation was the Chinese garden, with pagodas littered across large ponds adorned with lily pads. They’ve subsequently added 10 sprawling landscapes, the best of which are the Korean, Italian and English gardens. Some attempt has been made to take you on a culinary tour while you stroll through the gardens, but generic noodle boxes and a bottle of Guinness don’t quite transport you to Asia or the UK, respectively. The large Italian restaurant that you’ll find when you jump off the cable car is probably your best bet.

The Chinese garden was the first installation made at Garten der Welt
The Chinese Garden
A Moroccan style Riad can be found in the Garten der Welt
The Moroccan Riad

The Moroccan themed Riad paid a proper tribute to its origins, and on a sunny day you’ll feel like you’re in the heart of Medina.  There are some infernal kids’ areas, with ice creams, water fountains and a hedge maze for them to run around in, although it’s unlikely they’ll get stuck in there. As you come to the end of the grounds, there are some mini gardens from Australia and elsewhere, the highlight being the tongue-in-cheek US garden, which is just a parking lot and a car with a smashed-in window. There are also a lot of places to just hang out in the park here – people picnic and relax in the shade, so it’s worth coming with supplies if you want to make a longer day of it.

By William Barber

Garten der Welt is part of TTJ’s upcoming summer expat magazine in Berlin

Treetop Travel Journalism runs regular magazine projects with expats in Berlin and hosts international students for work / study abroad programmes in Berlin

Photos: Ricarda Bukovska