Botanical Garden Travel Guide

Botanisk Have traces its origins to August 2, 1600, when Christian IV established the first botanical garden through a royal decree near present-day Fiolstræde and Krystalgade. Over the centuries, the garden relocated four times, adapting to Copenhagen's changing urban landscape. The current iteration, completed in 1874, emerged from the transformation of a section of the Østervold fortress grounds and its surrounding glacis. Landscape architect H.A. Flindt designed the romantic layout that visitors experience today, creating a harmonious blend of horticultural science and aesthetic beauty. The garden was protected as a heritage site in 1969, ensuring its preservation for future generations.

The most striking feature of Botanisk Have is the magnificent Palmehuset, a glass palace modeled after London's Crystal Palace. This architectural marvel was championed by J.C. Jacobsen, the renowned Carlsberg brewer, and stands as a testament to 19th-century horticultural ambition. Within its climate-controlled environment thrives a spectacular collection of tropical plants, ferns, and exotic species that transport visitors to distant ecosystems. During summer months, the adjacent Sommerfuglehuset (Butterfly House) opens its doors, allowing visitors to walk among thousands of live butterflies fluttering freely among orchids, vanilla plants, and flowering vines—an immersive sensory experience that appeals to both children and adults.

The 10-hectare garden encompasses distinct botanical zones, each showcasing different plant communities and horticultural traditions. An arboretum features trees over 100 years old, providing shade and historical depth. Visitors discover heritage rose varieties, perennial borders, native Danish flora, and international plant collections. The Stenhøjen (Stone Hill) area offers elevated vantage points where visitors can pause to admire views across Copenhagen's historic skyline, with church spires and rooftops creating a picturesque urban backdrop. Beneath glass structures, approximately 5,000 square meters of protected growing space houses rare and endangered species, making the garden a living seed bank for global botanical conservation.

Botanisk Have functions as part of the State Natural History Museum, affiliated with the University of Copenhagen. Rather than a static display, the garden operates as a dynamic research and conservation institution, actively preserving threatened plant species from around the world. The museum building, located at the garden's eastern end, houses rotating exhibitions, the Mineral Hall, and educational resources. Visitors can engage with both the outdoor botanical landscape and indoor scientific collections, creating a comprehensive understanding of plant diversity, evolution, and human relationships with the natural world.

The garden transforms dramatically with the seasons. Summer brings lush growth, flowering displays, and extended daylight hours ideal for exploration. Winter reveals the structural beauty of bare trees and evergreen plantings, while the Palmehuset provides a warm refuge. An outdoor café operates during warmer months, serving refreshments from a charming 1970s Citroën van. A well-stocked shop offers plants, seeds, botanical books, posters, and gardening supplies for visitors inspired to cultivate their own green spaces. Guided tours can be arranged outside regular opening hours, accommodating groups and specialized interests.

Located at Gothersgade 128 near Nørreport Station, Botanisk Have sits within Copenhagen's cultural quarter, adjacent to Rosenborg Castle and the National Gallery of Denmark. The central location makes it easily accessible by public transport, bicycle, or foot from most parts of the city. The garden's position on reclaimed fortress grounds represents Copenhagen's transformation from military stronghold to cultural capital, with nature reclaiming space once devoted to defense. Free admission to the gardens themselves ensures accessibility regardless of budget, while modest fees for the Palmehuset support conservation and maintenance efforts.