Trauttmansdorff Castle Gardens
| Gardens of Trauttmansdorff Castle | |
|---|---|
|
Botanical gardens with view of Trauttmansdorff Castle | |
| Type | Botanic gardens |
| Location | Meran, Italy |
| Coordinates | 46°39′34″N 11°11′03″E / 46.659569°N 11.184082°ECoordinates: 46°39′34″N 11°11′03″E / 46.659569°N 11.184082°E |
| Area | 12 hectares (30 acres) |
| Created | c. 1850 |
| Status | Open in summer |
The Gardens of Trauttmansdorff Castle (German: Die Gärten von Schloss Trauttmansdorff; Italian: I Giardini di Castel Trauttmansdorff) are botanical gardens located on the grounds of the Trauttmansdorff Castle in Meran, Italy. The gardens are open daily in the warmer months; an admission fee is charged.
History
The gardens were begun circa 1850 by Count Trauttmansdorff during the castle's restoration. Empress Elisabeth of Austria was a frequent visitor to the Meran and the gardens. A bronze bust in her memory was placed in the gardens after her assassination in Geneva in 1898.
Gardens
Today the castle grounds contain about 80 gardens of local and exotic plants, organized by region of origin, including typical landscapes of South Tyrol. Principal features of interest include:
- Oleander Steps - flowering oleander, an ancient olive tree, etc.
- Sun Gardens - cultivated plants of the Mediterranean, including cypress, figs, grapevines, lavender, and Italy's northernmost olive grove.
- Water and Terraced Gardens - various gardens, including a formal Italian garden, English garden, and sensual garden.
- Wollemia nobilis specimen
The gardens also contain Aesculapian Snakes in their natural habitat, courtesy of the Alpine Zoo of Innsbruck, an aviary, a Japanese alluvial forest, rice terraces, and tea plantations.
See also
References
- Gardens of Trauttmansdorff Castle
- BGCI entry
- Udo Bernhart, Ulrike Dubis, Trauttmansdorff - Die Gärten / Giardini / The Gardens, BLV Buchverlag GmbH & Co, 2006. ISBN 3-8354-0263-3.
External links
Media related to Botanical gardens in Meran at Wikimedia Commons