Botanical Garden (Botanisk Have), Copenhagen

A living museum in the heart of Copenhagen

The Botanical Garden, or Botanisk Have, spreads across around 10 hectares right in central Copenhagen, yet feels worlds away from the surrounding streets. Managed by the Natural History Museum of Denmark under the University of Copenhagen, it functions both as a public park and as a scientific collection. More than 13,000 plant species are represented here, arranged in themed beds that reveal the diversity of plant life from Denmark and far beyond. Laid out on the city’s former fortifications, the garden gently rises and falls with the old ramparts. Curving paths lead past lawns, ponds and thoughtfully placed benches, encouraging slow wandering rather than rushed sightseeing. It is a place where students revise under shady boughs, botanists label specimens, and locals weave the garden into their daily routines.

Centuries of horticultural history

The story of Copenhagen’s botanical garden dates back to 1600, when King Christian IV granted land for the first formal collection of medicinal and exotic plants. Over the centuries the garden moved several times as the city grew and scientific needs changed. Its current incarnation was laid out between 1871 and 1874, when the last remnants of the city’s defensive ramparts were transformed into a landscaped park. Landscape architect H.A. Flindt designed the garden in a romantic style, with meandering paths, unexpected viewpoints and a carefully orchestrated mix of open space and dense planting. In 1969 the garden was granted protected status, recognising both its historic value and its importance as a scientific and cultural landmark in Denmark.

The Palm House and glasshouse world

At the centre of the garden stands the iconic Palm House, an ornate cast‑iron and glass structure dating from 1874. Inspired by London’s Crystal Palace and supported by brewer J.C. Jacobsen, it quickly became one of Copenhagen’s most recognisable silhouettes. Inside, a humid microclimate nurtures tall palms, lush ferns and climbing tropical plants that reach toward the domed roof. A narrow spiral staircase leads to the upper gallery, where visitors can walk at canopy level among the leaves and gaze down onto the green cathedral below. Nearby glasshouses hold collections of succulents, Mediterranean species and other climate‑sensitive plants. In summer, the Butterfly House opens as a seasonal highlight, filled with fluttering tropical butterflies among orchids and vanilla vines.

From Danish flora to distant continents

Beyond the glasshouses, the outdoor areas are organised into distinct zones that mirror different habitats. A dedicated section for Danish plants showcases native species from moorland, coastline and woodland, highlighting the country’s own botanical heritage. Rock gardens and stony slopes display alpine flora, while the arboretum gathers mature trees, some more than a century old, into a leafy open‑air library of trunks and crowns. Labelled beds of perennials, old rose varieties and useful plants bridge the gap between scientific reference and ornamental display. The careful naming of species makes the garden a valuable resource for anyone learning botany, gardening, or simply curious about the plants that shape everyday life, from herbs and grains to ornamental shrubs.

Quiet moments, views and café life

The atmosphere in the Botanical Garden ranges from hushed and reflective to gently sociable. Around the main lake, ducks and coots share the water with reflections of the Palm House, and the curved white bridge offers one of the most photogenic views in the garden. From the stony heights of the rock garden, you can look out toward Copenhagen’s copper spires rising above the trees. In the warmer months, a small outdoor café operates from a retro van, serving coffee, ice cream and light refreshments. Nearby, the garden shop sells plants, seeds, books and botanical prints, extending the experience for anyone inspired to bring a little of the garden home. Throughout, discreet paths and seating areas invite you to linger, read or simply sit and observe the changing light over leaves and water.

Science, conservation and future seasons

Behind the serene scenes, the Botanical Garden plays an active role in research and plant conservation. It holds important collections of rare and threatened species, contributing to international efforts to safeguard biodiversity. The living beds are supported by herbarium specimens and seed banks managed by the Natural History Museum of Denmark, turning the garden into an open‑air laboratory as much as a pleasure ground. Open year‑round with extended opening hours in summer, the garden changes character with the seasons: spring bulbs and tree blossoms, dense summer foliage, autumn colour and winter silhouettes dusted with frost. The constancy of the Palm House and the historic layout anchors these shifts, offering returning visitors both familiarity and new details to notice on every visit.