The central square in the park is a large Tiergarten. Great Tiergarten (Großer Tiergarten)

Category: Berlin

The Great Tiergarten (German Großer Tiergarten), which is located in the very center of Berlin, occupies a worthy place among the largest parks in the world. Its area, and even then according to unspecified estimates, is 210 hectares. For example, Central Park in New York covers 335 hectares, and Hyde Park in London - 125 hectares. The total length of the Tiergarten paths is 30 km - there is, as they say, where to roam and breathe fresh air.

Once upon a time, local electors hunted here ...

The Greater Tiergarten is located in the historic district of Mitte. Lines and road tunnels lead from here to the central railway station in neighboring Moabit County. Their network is laid under the park. But five centuries ago there was nothing like this. The future park was a common hunting ground for those times, in which the Electors of Brandenburg and the Prussian kings liked to demonstrate their prowess. There were many wild animals here, hence the name of the park. "Tiergarten" is translated from German as "menagerie".

The first mention of the park as a place for hunting dates back to the 16th century. In this capacity, the Tiergarten was operated until the second half of the 17th century, until Frederick I took the electorate. He decided to connect Berlin and the Charlottenburg Palace, named after his deceased wife Sophie-Charlotte of Hanover. To this end, the expansion of the Unter den Linden boulevard was started. So private hunting estates began to gradually turn into a park in the modern sense. The former "menagerie" acquired its current appearance during the reign of Frederick II the Great, who ruled in Prussia since 1740. His Majesty ordered the demolition of the dividing fence between the park and Berlin. With the light hand of the monarch, the Tiergarten turned into an amusement park.

"Big Star", nine alleys and the Victory Column

This, of course, did not happen immediately. First, the swamps that "decorated" the center of the park were drained. After that, a radial-star composition of the park was developed, which was based on the existing hunting routes. The Big Star Square and its nine alleys are located in the center of the composition. The alleys diverge in rays, which gives a resemblance to a large star.

The territory of the Greater Tiergarten was carefully decorated with baroque flower beds. There was a place here for sculptures and esplanades, memorials and tea houses, harmoniously blending into the landscape and decorating the park. The landscape itself was decorated in the classical English style in 1833-1840 (by the architect Peter Joseph Lanne). Among the architectural decorations, we highlight the Victory Column erected in 1873. The monument is located in the very center of the park. It was built by order of Wilhelm I to celebrate the victories of Prussia in the wars with Denmark, Austria and France. The column is decorated with an 8.3-meter gilded sculpture of the goddess Victoria weighing 35 tons. Berliners call the “divine” statue the Golden Elsa. Previously, the Victory Column was located on Königsplatz (now Republic Square). The Big Star Square was moved to the square by the decision of the Nazi government in 1938.

Greater Tiergarten before and after the war and today

The central alley, through which Frederick I connected Berlin with Charlottenburg Palace, is currently 17 June Street. It is named so in memory of the events in the GDR that took place on this day in 1953 (a political strike throughout the country). The section of the street that falls on the Greater Tiergarten was expanded to its current size during the Third Reich, when Hitler tried to realize his crazy idea - to turn Berlin into the “Germany Capital of the World”. The Nazis also reconstructed the old 1865 tram line from Kupfergraben to Charlottenburg, which led through the Tiergarten.

During World War II, the park was heavily damaged. Park trees were cut down by local residents for space heating. In 1949, with the symbolic planting of a lemon tree by Mayor Ernst Reute, the gradual restoration of the park began. When Berlin was divided into western and eastern parts, the Tiergarten became a border area. After the destruction of the Berlin Wall, a large park ended up in the center of the metropolitan metropolis, becoming one of its calling cards. From that moment began a thorough restoration of the Tiergarten.

Today, the Greater Tiergarten is one of the most wonderful places in the capital of Germany for a good rest for local residents and guests of the city. When it is warm and sunny, people like to walk here, taking a break from the city noise. They enjoy spending time on the shores of the park lake Neuer or visit the open-air beer garden - one of the best Berlin pubs. There is something to see in the park and tourists, because there are many attractions. Among them is Bellew Palace in the northern region of the Tiergarten - now the residence of the President of Germany. Let's also name the Berlin Carillon, next to which there is a monument to Otto von Bismarck and the historic Grand Duke Square.

The park is adjacent to the Brandenburg Gate, the Berlin Zoo, diplomatic missions of foreign states, the cultural center Kulturforum, etc. Also in the Tiergarten is the Reichstag building, the historical monument Triumphal Column, the Museum of World Cultures. After the capitulation of Nazi Germany in World War II, a monument to a Soviet soldier was erected in the park. Berlin's largest park is open 24/7, but the sightseeing site is open seasonally. In April-October from 9:00 to 18:00, in November-March from 9:00 to 17:00 (daily, seven days a week). The most convenient way to get to the Tiergarten is by metro (Hauptbahnhof-Brandenburger Tor line). Only three stops from any part of the city - and you are there.

"Charite" (French Charité - "love of neighbor, mercy") is the oldest hospital in Berlin, with more than 3,000 beds, it is the largest university hospital in Europe. The reason for the creation of the Charité was the order of the cabinet of the Prussian King Frederick...

Office of the Federal Chancellor of Germany - a building in Berlin and the location of the German federal authority of the same name. As part of the relocation of the German government from Bonn to Berlin, the Office mastered a new building, created according to the projects of the architect...

The monumental equestrian statue of Frederick the Great is dedicated to King Frederick II of Prussia, known among Berliners under the short name "Old Fritz". The statue is located in the historic center of Berlin on the middle lane of the Unter den Linden boulevard. G...

The monument to the German ophthalmologist surgeon and professor of ophthalmology at the Charité Albrecht von Graefe is located at the corner of Schumannstraße and Luisenstraße and has a complex design. The initiative to create a monument came in 1872, after 2 years ...

The Moltke Bridge is a road and pedestrian bridge, lined with red sandstone, with load-bearing steel structures on stone pillars, built across the Spree River in the Mitte district of Berlin. The bridge, decorated with sculptures, was named after Helmut...

Tiergarten is a magnificent park in the center of Berlin, one of the largest parks in the world. Its area is, according to the most rough estimates, 210 hectares, the total length of the paths is 30 km. It is part of the Berlin district of Mitte. Beneath the park, there is a network of railway and road tunnels leading to Berlin Central Station, which is located in the nearby Moabit district.

History of the park

The park was first mentioned in the sixteenth century, when its territory was the hunting grounds of Brandenburg electors and kings, hence the name of the park - Tiergarten, which means "menagerie". The first changes took place with the arrival of King Frederick I, from the second half of the 17th to the beginning of the 18th century, which expanded Unter den Linde, connecting Berlin with the palace in Charlottenburg. Thus began the transformation of the Tiergarten from a private estate into a public park. It finally took on its current form under Frederick II, who ordered the demolition of the fence separating the park from the city and turning the Tiergarten into an amusement park.

At that time, the territory of the park was occupied by a swamp, which was drained, and on the basis of the existing hunting routes, a radial-star composition of the park was developed, in the center of which there was the Big Star Square with nine alleys - diverging rays. The territory was decorated with baroque flower beds, sculptures, esplanades, and other architectural decorations. The central alley that connected the palace with the park, today - "Street of June 17". In 1833-40, the park was redesigned in the English style by the architect Peter Joseph Lanne, shaping its final image, turning the park into one of the most remarkable places in Berlin.

During the war years

During the war, the park was incredibly badly damaged, park trees were used by local residents to heat their homes.
The first steps in the restoration of the park were taken in 1949, when Mayor Ernst Reute planted a lemon tree in a solemn ceremony. During the division of Berlin, the Tiergarten ended up in the border zone. When the Berlin Wall was destroyed, the park was located in the heart of the metropolis. It was at this time that a serious restoration of the park began, after all, the city center is the face of the city.

Nowadays

Now the park has become a wonderful place for recreation for city dwellers, on sunny, warm days it is full of people, people of various ages head to the Tiergarten to get away from the noise of the restless big city. Citizens can spend their free time on the banks of the Neuer See - a beautiful lake or visit an open-air beer restaurant, which is one of the best city pubs.

What to watch

But for tourists there is something to see, there are many interesting sights in the park. For example - Bellew Palace (Schloss Bellevue) - the castle is located in the northern area of ​​the park. The castle is the residence of the President of Germany, who at the moment is Christian Wulff.


The Berlin Carillon was built in the park in 1978, next to which is the Grand Duke Square, a monument to Bismarck. On the border with the park are the Brandenburg Gate, the zoo, the embassies of various countries, the Kulturforum and much more.

Also within the park is the Reichstag building - a building of historical value for Berlin, where meetings of the German political body of the same name were held.

The triumphal column or arch (Siegessäule) is a historical monument and landmark of Berlin, located on the Spree embankment. The author of the architectural project was Heinrich Johann Strack.

The Museum of World Cultures is located on the Spree in the Tiergarten - the center of non-European contemporary art in Germany.

The monument to the Soviet soldier was erected after the surrender of Germany. The statue was cast according to the design of Kerbel and Tsigal. To balance the architectural composition, near the Brandenburg Gate on the street of the Seventeenth of June, a small monument to a screaming woman was erected - a monument to relatives who remained on the other side of the Wall.

Visiting times and prices

The park itself is open for visits around the clock, however, the opening hours of the site for inspections are strictly regulated.

April-October:
Monday-Sunday: 9:00-18:30

November-March:
Monday-Sunday: 9:00-17:30
from April to October - from Monday to Sunday 9.00-18.30; from November to March - from Monday to Sunday 9.00 - 17.30

Entry price

Adults - 1.20 EUR,
Students, schoolchildren - 0.60 EUR,
Children under 12 years old - admission is free.

It is also worth considering that at the moment the Bellew Palace is temporarily closed to the public.

How to get there

The best way to get to the park is by subway on the Hauptbahnhof-Brandenburger Tor line, with just three stops from either end. The trip will result in 1.40 EUR, a reduced rate of about 1.10 EUR. On the line Rathaus Steglitz-0sloer StraЯe - the road will take longer and with transfers - from 2.30 EUR, a reduced rate - about 1.40 EUR. Free travel for children under 6 years old, concessionary fare - from 6 to 14 years old

The Greater Tiergarten is a large park area in the center of Berlin. The area of ​​the Greater Tiergarten is 210 hectares.

Note: Due to the similarity of names, there is often a confusion of concepts. There are the Great Tiergarten (the park in question), the administrative district of Berlin (which is called the Tiergarten), the Little Tiergarten park and the Berlin Zoo (which in German is called the Tierpark), located on the territory of the large Tiergarten.

The Greater Tiergarten is today called the green heart of Berlin. This is one of the three largest parks in Germany. Both citizens and guests of the German capital like to spend their free time here. In the park, you can walk along numerous paths, sunbathe on the lawns and have picnics.

Historically, this place was the hunting grounds of the Electors of Brandenburg for a long time. To ensure successful hunting of the highest officials of the state, wild animals were specially launched here. A huge area of ​​the forest was fenced off so that the animals could not run out of the territory where the hunt was conducted. Hence the name - Tiergarten, literally translated from German, means "Animal Park".

During the reign of the Prussian King Frederick I, several roads were laid through the forest, connecting Berlin with the new Charlottenburg Palace and other territories. With the beginning of the reign of Frederick the Great, in the middle of the 18th century, who did not like hunting, the hunting grounds ceased to exist.

In 1742, Frederick the Great commissioned his court architect Georg Wencelaus von Knobelsdorff to build an amusement park for the people on the site of the Tiergarten. Knobelsdorff removes the barriers and breaks out the baroque park - flower beds are organized, plants are planted in geometric proportions, artificial ponds and reservoirs are laid, sculptures, gazebos, fountains and benches are installed along the paths. At the same time, for the entertainment of the public in the Tiergarten, the Pheasantium opens, from which the Berlin Zoo will subsequently grow.

Since the end of the 18th century, changes have been taking place in park fashion - the baroque is replaced by the ideals of the English landscape park. Court gardeners Justus Ehrenreich Zello and Peter Joseph Lenné are redesigning the Tiergarten. The swampy forest areas of the park are drained, paths are being laid everywhere for horseback riding and walking. Instead of flower beds, lawns, clearings appear, in reservoirs - islands with numerous bridges leading to them, a rose garden opens. In this form, the Greater Tiergarten existed unchanged until the end of the 19th century.

At the end of the 19th century, in connection with new trends, numerous monuments were erected in the park - Queen Louise and her husband Friedrich Wilhelm III, writers Goethe, Lessing, Fontana, composers Richard Wagner, Beethoven, Mozart and Haydn.

During Nazi Germany, the Tiergarten was included in the plan to rebuild Berlin into "Germany, the capital of the world". The Charlottenburg highway (now 17 June Street) was widened by 15 meters, and the Victory Column was moved to the center of the Tiergarten.

After the end of the Second World War, due to the lack of coal, trees from the Tiergarten were used as fuel. Of the 200,000 trees in the park, only 700 remained. Vegetable gardens were arranged on free areas.

Since 1961, the Tiergarten has been gradually restored. Reservoirs were cleared, trees were planted, bridges, monuments and paths were repaired. After the reunification of Germany, in 1991, the Greater Tiergarten is under state protection as a monument of landscape art.

Interesting places in the Greater Tiergarten

A day is not enough to see all corners of the park.

Berlin Zoo

On the territory of the Greater Tiergarten is the Berlin Zoo (Zoologischer Garten Berlin, Berlin Zoological Garden or Tierpark). It covers an area of ​​35 hectares and is one of the largest zoos in Germany. The variety of species represented at the Berlin Zoo is amazing - approximately 15,000 animals of 1,500 species). The Berlin Zoo is one of the main attractions of the city.

In 1945, the Memorial to the Fallen Soviet Soldiers was erected in the Tiergarten, in memory of the Soviet soldiers who died in the battles of World War II. The main entrance to the memorial is from 17 June Street. Two Soviet T-34 tanks are located here, the first to enter the city in 1945, as well as two cannons that announced the end of the battle for Berlin with their volleys. On two stone sarcophagi are engraved the names of the officers who fell in Berlin in the period from April 14 to May 1, 1945, who were awarded the title of "Hero of the Soviet Union". On the pedestal in the center of the semicircle of columns is a bronze statue of a Red Army soldier. More than 2,000 Soviet soldiers are also buried here.

English garden

At the suggestion of the British commandant of Berlin, General Jeffrey Bourne, 5,000 trees were planted in the Tiergarten destroyed by the Second World War, donated by King George VI of Great Britain. This, southwestern part of the Tiergarten was called the English Garden. Now here on an area of ​​40 hectares there is an interesting park area.

New Lake (Der Neue See)

The new lake is a large artificial reservoir. Walking paths are laid around it. There is a traditional cafe on the shore of the lake, this is a favorite meeting place in the Greater Tiergarten. On hot summer days, you can rent a boat on the Big Lake and arrange a boat trip on the lake.

Victory Column

The Victory Column is located in the center of the Tiergarten on Großer Stern Square. Its observation platform offers a beautiful view of the entire park and the city.

Bellevue Palace

Bellevue Palace, located on the banks of the River Spree in the northern part of Tierganten, was built in 1786 by the architect Michael Philipp Bowman as the summer residence of Prince August Ferdinand, the younger brother of the Prussian King Frederick II. Today it houses the residence and administration of the Bundespresident of Germany.

Locks on the Landwehr Canal (Schleuse am Landwehrkanal)

On the bridge, you can cross the Landwehr Canal and watch the ships pass through the locks. Directly on the territory of the gateway there is a popular restaurant Schleusenkrug.

House of Cultures of the World

The House of World Cultures (Haus der Kulturen der Welt) is located in the northeast of the Tiergarten. It is the center of contemporary non-European art. The House of World Cultures was founded in 1989 in the building of the Hall of Congresses. The House of World Cultures hosts exhibitions of fine arts, film screenings, music concerts, dance and theater performances by artists from various countries of Asia, Africa and South America.

Museum of gas lamps

The Gas Lantern Museum is located in the west of the Greater Tiergarten. The lanterns assembled here were made between 1826 and 1956 and previously illuminated the streets of 25 German cities and 11 cities in other European countries.

Carillon (Das Carillon)

The large Tiergarten carillon (bell tower) was installed in the Tiergarten in 1985. With 68 bells, it is the largest carillon in the world. The melodies of the bells cover five and a half octaves.

Monuments in the Greater Tiergarten

In addition to historical sculptures, several small monuments have been erected in the Greater Tiergarten.

• Not far from the New Lake there is a memorial stele, reminiscent of the murder of Karl Liebknecht.
• There is a monument to Rosa Luxembourg on the path near the Liechtenstein Bridge.
• On the Tiergarten street there is a monument to the victims of Nazi murders of people with disabilities (Gedenk- und Informationsort für die Opfer der nationalsozialistischen "Euthanasie"-Morde).
• To the south of the Reichstag there are monuments to the victims of Nazism - gypsies, Jews, as well as people of non-traditional sexual orientation.

Working mode

The Greater Tiergarten is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Entrance to the park is free.

The Grand Carillon gives concerts in the summer every Sunday at 3 pm.

How to get there

Tiergarten Park is located in the heart of Berlin. It is easily accessible by any means of transport.

By public transport

The Greater Tiergarten can be reached by metro, tram, S-Bahn or bus.

From the side of the zoo

• By underground (U-Bahn): Underground line U5 to Tierpark station.
• By Tram: Lines M17, 27, 37 to Tierpark stop.
• By Bus: lines 296, 396 to Tierpark stop.

From the side of the Palace (Schloss)

• By tram (Tram): M17, 27, 37 to the Palace stop.
• By bus (Bus): route 194 to the Palace stop.

From the Victory Column

• By metro (U-Bahn): line U9 to the stop Hanseplatz (Hanseplatz).
• By bus: 100,187, 106, N26 to the Großer Stern stop.

• By city train Es-Bahn (S-Bahn): lines 1,2, 25 to the Brandenburg Gate stop.
• By underground (U-Bahn): U5 from the main train station (Hauptbahnhof).
• By bus (Bus): M 41, M 85, TXL, 120, 123,147,240, 245) to the Brandenburg Gate stop.

By car

It is possible to park your car near the Brandenburg Gate, the Berlin Zoo or the Victory Column.

At the Berlin Zoo there is a large car park at Am Tierpark 125. Fee: 4 euros per entry, no time limit.

From the Victory Column

Stadt Berlin - free parking for 27 places at the intersection of Klopstockstraße and Altonaer Straße, it's an 18-minute walk to the Victory Column.

Parking conditions:

• two hours of free parking daily around the clock,
• except Friday from 8.00. until 20.00.

Lützow Center Berlin - Parking in the shopping center at Lützowufer 26, Tiergarten.

Parking conditions:

• Daily rate: Mon.-Sun. from 09.00. until 20.00: 30 min. €0.50, additional hour €2.00, maximum fare €16.00.
• Night rate: Mon.-Sun. from 20.00. until 09.00: 1 hour - 1.00 euros, additional hour - 0.50 euros, maximum rate - 3.00 euros.

From the Brandenburg Gate

Internationales Handelszentrum (IHZ) Surface multilevel parking with 494 spaces.

Opening hours: Mon.-Sun. – around the clock Address: Dorotheenstraße 30.

• 1 hour - 2.00 euros,
• 2 hours - 4.00 euros,
• 3 hours - 5.50 euros,
• 4 hours - 7.00 euros,
• additional hour - 1.00 euros,
• 24 hours - 15.00 euros,
• 1 month - 100.00 euros.

Maritin Pro Art Hotel. Ground parking for 120 places.

Opening hours: Mon.-Sun. - around the clock. Address: Friedrichstrasse 151.

• 1 hour - 4.50 euros,
• 24 hours - 28.00 euros.

By taxi

The Greater Tiergarten is easily accessible by Uber or Berlin Taxi.

Video about the Greater Tiergarten

Hello, friends. It's amazing how sometimes time transforms a place, changing its purpose and appearance. The Tiergarten park in Berlin was once a dense forest, where the cream of society hunted and took walks on their thoroughbred horses. There were many wild animals here, which is how the name Tiergarten arose, which means “menagerie”.

Now the Great Tiergarten or Großer Tiergarten is one of the largest parks in the world. It occupies approximately 210 hectares, which puts it on a par with such famous parks as Central Park in New York and Hyde Park in London.

For the first time, the place where the park is now located was used as a hunting ground at the beginning of the 16th century. Since that time, it is customary to count the history of the Tiergarten.

Journey into the past

In this capacity, the park existed until the end of the 17th century, until Frederick I decided to connect Charlottenburg Palace with the city. For this, the Unter den Linden boulevard was expanded and the hunting grounds turned into a park, fenced off from the city by a wall.

Under King Frederick II the Great, the park began to look something like the way we see it today. The wall was demolished, and the Tiergarten became a favorite place for entertainment and leisurely walks.

Of course, the transformation of a wild forest into a place of entertainment did not happen overnight. First, all swamps were drained on its territory, then a general landscape solution came - the park was given the shape of a star. The center of the composition, as now, was the Big Star Square. Already existing hunting paths have become park alleys. In the overall composition, they are the "rays" of the star.

Now, having looked into the Tiergarten after a walk around the city, you can walk along the ancient hunting trails or lie on the grass in places where horns once blew and royal hunting rushed. And we.

After the park has acquired its shape, it's time to decorate it. There is enough space for landscape creativity on the territory of the Greater Tiergarten. And the masters of gardening arts embodied the trends that were fashionable at that time, diversifying the forest area with all kinds of decorative elements. This is how baroque flower beds, cozy tea houses, esplanades and sculptures appeared.

The park was landscaped in the English style between 1833 and 1840 under the supervision of Peter Joseph Lanne.

By the end of the 19th century, one of the main architectural decorations of the park was erected - the Victory Column monument. The memorial was erected by order of Wilhelm I, as a reminder of the numerous victories of Prussia, and is located in the very center of the “star.

The Victory Column is an eight-meter column crowned with a sculpture of the goddess of victory, Victoria. The townspeople call the goddess "Golden Elsa".

20th century in the life of the Tiergarten

The new century brought new changes to the park, many of which are associated with sad events.

The central alley connecting the park was renamed June 17 Street. The alley received this name in memory of the political strike of 1953, which took place on the territory of the GDR.

The park was expanded to its present size by Hitler, who sought to make Berlin the capital of the world.

During World War II, the park was badly damaged. Local residents cut down almost all the trees, trying to warm their homes.

The restoration of the Tiergarten began in 1949 with the symbolic planting of a lemon tree. After the destruction, the park turned out to be the very center of the renovated metropolis, and its restoration was taken to heart.

Attractions Tiergarten

Now the Greater Tiergarten is a favorite vacation spot for citizens and a popular tourist attraction. Here you can relax on the shores of the Neuer See park lake, take a walk with the children, have a bite to eat and try excellent, and rumored to be the best beer in the capital in the local pub.

Tourists are attracted by numerous attractions.

• In the north of the Tiergarten is Bellew Palace. This representative of neoclassical architecture, located on the banks of the Spree, has served as the residence of the President of Germany since 1994.
• Not far from the palace are the famous triumphal arch and the only surviving city gates in Berlin.
• The Victory Column, which we have already talked about.
• It is also located here, where from 1894 to 1933 the body of the same name held its meetings, and since 1999 the Bundestag has been located.
• Museum of World Cultures
• Monument to Soviet soldiers, which was installed in the park after the surrender of Germany.

Bellew Palace

• Another attraction of the capital adjoins the park -. It is believed that a record number of animal species are represented here, which is probably why the Berlin Zoo is visited by almost three million tourists every year.

• Even under the park there is something interesting - a road tunnel.
• In the park, you can not only take a leisurely walk and enjoy the view of various historically important objects, but also listen to the sounds of the Berlin carillon, which occupies a tower in the northeast of the Tiergarten. This huge musical instrument is made of 68 bells and weighs as much as 48 tons.

Working hours

The park is open around the clock. Entrance to the park is free.

Where to stay in Berlin

Now many housing options in Berlin have appeared on the service Airbnb. We have written how to use this service. If you do not find a free room in the hotel, then look for accommodation through this booking site.

We lived in Hotel Adam, Charlottenburg district. Liked it for value for money.

We offer good options for hotels in Berlin

How to get there

Tiergarten has several entrances

• Metro. By metro line U-55 Bundestag or U-55 Brandenburger Tor, U-2 Potsdamer Platz, U-9 Hansaplatz.
• on the city train. Also to Brandenburger Tor S-1, S-2, S-25

The Tiergarten Park is located in the historical district of Mitte at Str. des 17. Juni 31, 10785 Berlin.

Tiergarten on the map

Happy travels. Subscribe to our blog! See you later!

During a walk in the park, we also climbed the Victory Column, which is one of the main attractions of the center of Berlin. The column will be discussed in my next post.

Information about the Tiergarten park.

• Tiergarten Park (its official name is "Greater Tiergarten") is the most popular park in Berlin. It is deployed in the eponymous district of the capital of Germany. With an area of ​​210 hectares, the Tiergarten is one of the top three largest city parks in the country.
• The history of the Tiergarten dates back to the 16th century, when this place was the hunting grounds of the local nobility.
• The first gardens for public use appeared in the Tiergarten in 1740. This happened at the initiative of the monarch Frederick II.
• During and after the Second World War, the Tiergarten park, of course, was badly damaged. This also applied to the sculptures located on its territory, and the trees that went into the furnace due to a lack of coal. The areas formed after cutting down were temporarily turned into farms. They grew potatoes and other vegetables for the British occupation forces. Sources indicate that of the 200,000 trees originally growing in the park, only 700 survived the war and the post-war period.
• The restoration of the Tiergarten forest after the war began in 1949. During the period 1949-1959, approximately 250,000 (!!!) trees (saplings) were planted. They were brought from all over Germany (the Tiergarten was located on the territory of West Berlin). During the blockade of West Berlin, seedlings were even delivered by plane.

Location.

Almost in the middle, the Tiergarten park intersects with one of the main streets of Berlin - 17 June Street. This is the former Charlottenburger Chaussee. It was renamed by the West Berlin authorities in 1953 in honor of the East Berlin workers' uprising. The uprising took place on 17/06/1953. It was suppressed by the Soviet army and the GDR authorities. The street is the starting point of the famous Berlin Marathon. It starts at the Brandenburg Gate, and approximately in the middle of the Tiergarten turns into a circular motion around the Victory Column in a square called Groesser Stern (Big Star). In the same place, a number of streets of Berlin converge.

Tiergarten on the map.

Zoo in the Tiergarten.

In the north, part of the natural boundary of the Tiergarten Park is created by the Spree River, and in the southwestern part, the park is crossed by the Landwehrkanal. It physically separates the Berlin Zoo from the rest of the park (area 35 hectares), also belonging to the Tiergarten. This time we were not at the zoo, but I visited it back in 1995. At that time, I had never seen better zoos. The Berlin Zoo is considered one of the oldest in the world, and one of the largest in Germany.

By the way, there is also a second zoo in Berlin. It is called Friedrichsfelde, it is the zoo with the largest area in Europe. You can read my note about this place.

Bellevue Palace.

Considering the size of the park, we didn’t manage to walk around it, and we didn’t set ourselves such a goal. In addition to the tranquility and surprisingly uncrowded gardens (after all, the very center of Berlin!) We remember, for example, the Bellevue Palace in the northern part of the Greater Tiergarten:

Bellevue Palace was built at the end of the 18th century. Now it is the residence of the President of Germany. They write that if the German flag is raised on the roof of Bellevue, the president is inside, if it is lowered, then he is away. If you look closely at the photo, you can see that at the moment when we were there, the federal president was inside☺. As far as I remember, it was the second public holiday (May 2), the first half of the day, so it's not surprising.

They also write that helicopters with the guests of the president usually land on the vast lawn in front of the palace. We did not catch this action☺. I read somewhere that the Bellevue Palace is open for visits by preliminary group requests of tourists. I can neither confirm nor deny this statement.

I wouldn't say that the Tiergarten park is super well maintained, but most of the places look pretty neat. Somewhere there is living creatures☺:

Embankment of the Spree from the side of the Tiergarten park:

Bismarck Memorial.

Of the sculptural groups on the territory of the Tiergarten, one cannot fail to notice the memorial to the first chancellor of the German Empire, Otto von Bismarck, which is located next to the Victory Column:

The Chancellor's right hand lies on the treaty establishing the German Confederation. The statues around Bismarck are:

• Atlas, personifying the strength of Germany on a global scale at the end of the 19th century - the period of Bismarck's rule
• Siegfried forging a sword - the personification of the industrial and military power of the country
• Germany, crushing a panther with its foot - the personification of the suppression of discord and rebellion
• Sybil, who has the gift of prophecy, leans back against a sphinx and reads a history book.

This sculptural complex looks very impressive. Remember.

The year the monument was created is 1901. Initially, like the Victory Column, it was stationed directly in front of the Reichstag. In 1938, according to Hitler's plan, both monuments were moved from there.

As far as I remember, traces of bullets can be seen on the stone elements of the memorial. This also applies to the Victory Column, where they are generally in abundance.

Monuments to K. Liebknecht and R. Luxembourg.

Initially, there was a desire to find monuments to Karl Liebknecht and Rosa Luxemburg in the Tiergarten park. They are located on the embankment of the Landwehr Canal, on the other side of the Zoo. However, for reasons I no longer remember, we did not.

The location of the Luxembourg monument in the Tiergarten is significant in that in this place of the canal on 15/01/1919 Rosa (who was arrested at that moment, because the authorities believed that the actions of Luxembourg and her associates could lead to a civil war in Germany) was shot dead while being transported by boat, and the body was thrown into the canal.

Duration and purpose of the visit.

Of course, for a detailed acquaintance with all the delights of the Tiergarten (I mean not only the park, but also the Reichstag, etc.), you need to set aside a whole day. We devoted only half a day to it, because our time in Berlin was limited, and the weather that day was cloudy and rather cold. If you have a more favorable situation for walking, then of course you should devote the whole day to the Tiergarten. Or maybe even have a small picnic there!

I would not like to compare and draw direct parallels between the Tiergarten Park and other parks where I happened to visit. Everywhere has its pros and cons. The significant pluses of the Tiergarten, I would include an amazing lack of crowds, given the location in the very center of the city. Plus the presence of a whole list of sights of a serious scale.