Leuven’s Botanical Garden is the oldest one in Belgium

Leuven’s botanical garden (Kruidtuin)  is the oldest one in Belgium.  Henri-Joseph Rega, Professor of Medicine from University of Leuven, created this garden for its students of medicine in 1738.

Its first aim was to provide herbs for medical use. Later, the gardens became used for study purposes and they hosted an extensive collection of ornamental plants, cultivated plants with economic potential, and rare plants.

When the university was closed in 1797, the botanical garden was seized by the state. A botanical garden was re-established in the 1820s, adjacent to the original garden, under the auspices of the new State University of Leuven. When the State University closed in 1835, ownership of the new botanical garden was transferred to the city authorities. 

In 1982 renovated the orangery in its original state and installed a tropical greenhouse. Lovers of plants and herbs can indulge themselves in the diverse collections.

Today, the garden, with separate beds for 792 different herbs with 4,500 plant species, is a reminder of its scientific past.

(Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hortus_Botanicus_Lovaniensis) , photo by Aslı Tezcan