Gärten der Welt

This 21-hectare internationally themed garden park is tucked away among the Soviet-style Plattenbau of the eastern district of Marzahn.

Berlin is a city that has always drawn people who see the world differently and are eager to push boundaries. Full of creatives with dynamic visions, Berlin is a magnet for innovation. Across the city, no stone is left unturned—underused mall parkades become beer gardens; public bathhouses become luxury hotels; wartime bunkers become art galleries; airport runways become picnicking and kite-surfing spots. Restaurants are tucked into dark alleys, behind unassuming doors and within inner courtyards..

Originally opened in 1987 as the Berlin Gartenschau (Berlin Garden Exhibition) it was renamed Erholungspark Marzahn (Marzahn Recreational Park) after reunification, and then to Gärten der Welt, with the construction of the park’s Chinese Gardens as part of Berlin’s partnership with the city of Beijing.

The Chinese Garden is officially named “Garten des wiedergewonnenen Mondes,” or “The Garden of the Reclaimed Moon,” symbolic of Berlin’s divided past and united future. This garden consists of traditional Chinese plants and buildings, all centered around a small lake with a stone boat in it.

The Chinese Gardens were followed by the Japanese Garden, “Garten des zusammenfließenden Wassers” (Garden of Confluent Waters,) complete with a small pavilion and a rock garden; the Arabian-themed Oriental Gardens, or “Garten der vier Ströme” (Garden of the Four Streams,) patterned on the palace courtyard of Riyadh; the Korean “Seouler Garten” (Seoul Garden,) covered in traditional Korean handicrafts,  and the Christian Garden, dominated by a golden cage-like structure comprised of Biblical verses and other writings in a variety of European languages, earning it the name “Raum der Sprache und des Wortes,” or “Room of Speech and Word.” 

The park also features a labyrinth in which one can wander their way to a small tower in the center — a fantastic vantage point not just for the labyrinth, but for a swath of the gardens. Nearby, there is a row of small statues depicting some of the less grim scenes from certain German fairytales.

Finally, there are additions constantly being made to the Gärten der Welt. The Tropical Hall, Balinese Garden, and Italian Garden are being renovated, and a new English Country Garden is being built.

Know Before You Go

Take the S-Bahn line S7 going toward Ahrensfelde until the stop Marzahn. From there, take the bus line 195 until the stop "Gärten der Welt." Alternatively, take the U-Bahn line U5 towards Hönow, and connect to the 195 at Cottbusser Platz.