Vytautas Magnus University Botanical Garden

Vytautas Magnus University Botanical Garden in Kaunas
Vytautas Magnus University Botanical Garden in Kaunas
	View to the garden
Type	Botanical
Location	Kaunas, Lithuania
Coordinates	54°52′14″N 23°54′37″E / 54.87056°N 23.91028°E
Area	62.5 ha
Opened	1923
Owned by	Vytautas Magnus University
Status	Open
Website	http://botanika.vdu.lt/en/

Vytautas Magnus University Botanical Garden, also known as the Kaunas Botanical Garden (Lithuanian: Vytauto Didžiojo universiteto Botanikos sodas; Latin: Hortus Botanicus Universitati Vytauti Magni), is a university-affiliated botanical garden located in the south of the Freda district, in the southern part of central Kaunas, at Ž.E.Žilibero Street 6.

With an area of 62.5 ha (154 acres), it is the second-largest botanical garden in Lithuania. This institution is a member of BGCI and is registered under the international identification code KAUN.

About Garden

The Botanical Garden was founded in 1923 as a centre for botanical sciences affiliated with the then-Lithuanian University (later renamed Vytautas Magnus University). The site selected for the garden was part of the historic Aukštoji Freda [lt] estate, formerly owned by Aukštoji Freda [lt]. This spacious green area featured an old park, scenic ponds, and several manor buildings, making it an ideal setting for the new botanical institution.

Professor Constantin Andreas von Regel from the University of Tartu was invited to lead the establishment of the Kaunas Botanical Garden. In 1924, architect Karol Rauth from Hanover prepared a detailed landscape design for the site. With support from several renowned botanical gardens — particularly those in Berlin-Dahlem, Königsberg, and St. Petersburg — the Kaunas Botanical Garden developed rapidly. The construction of the Greenhouse was completed in 1938.

Today, Vytautas Magnus University Botanical Garden covers 62.5 hectares near the city centre and functions as a multifunctional university botanical garden, structured into three departments: Science (subdivided into Medicinal and Spice Plants; Dendrology and Phytopathology; and Pomology), Expositions and Collections (including Plant Systematics, Floriculture, and the greenhouse), and Service and Education.

One of the garden’s most distinctive features is its tranquil, green environment — a harmonious blend of cultural and natural heritage. With its botanical expositions and collections, historic greenhouse, and expansive landscape park featuring a pond system, the garden serves not only as a centre for plant conservation and scientific research but also as a space for interactive education, cultural tourism, and community use. The garden welcomes more than 90,000 visitors annually.

Vytautas Magnus University Botanical Garden is a member of several networks and associations, including the Lithuanian Association of University Botanical Gardens (LAUBG), the Association of Baltic Botanic Gardens (ABBG), the Botanic Garden Conservation International (BGCI), and the Network of Botanic Gardens in the Baltic Sea region.^[1]