In the Pérolles district of Fribourg, the University Botanic Garden showcases some 5,000 plant species across 1.8 hectares. You can explore 23 themed sections, an arboretum and three greenhouses dedicated to tropical and subtropical plants.
Botanical gardens
Main highlights
- 5,000 plant species spread across 23 themed sections and an open-air arboretum
- Largest systematic collection in Switzerland, with over 1,100 species from 140 families
- Three greenhouses open to the public, featuring tropical, subtropical and useful plants
Overview
Founded in 1937, the University of Fribourg Botanic Garden was originally used to teach botany to medical and pharmacy students. It is the youngest of Switzerland’s four university botanic gardens. It opened to the public in 1948.
Today it serves as a bridge between the University and the public. It shares knowledge about plants and biodiversity and helps protect endangered native plants at cantonal and national level. The site covers 1.8 hectares at an altitude of 650 m.
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What to see and do
At the heart of the garden, the System section presents plant families according to the APG IV classification, based on molecular genetics. With over 1,100 species from 140 families, or a third of all known plant families, it is the largest systematic collection in Switzerland.
The greenhouses let you travel between climates : a tropical greenhouse built in 1939, a temperate and cool greenhouse from 1963, an orangery and a greenhouse of tropical useful plants. Outside, you’ll find a collection of geophytes, a raised bog and a fen, protected plants, a small rose garden, an alpine garden and an arboretum exploring how trees evolve in response to climate.
The Pavillon Vert hosts exhibitions, talks and workshops in French and German. The garden also carries out conservation work, propagating endangered plants and then replanting them in their natural habitat.
Practical information
Getting there : from Fribourg station, take bus 1, 3, 7, 8 or 9 to the Charmettes or Jardin botanique stops. By car, take the A12 Fribourg Sud exit, then follow signs for Université and Jardin botanique.
Admission : the garden is open every day of the year, free of charge.
Visit duration : about 1 hour 30 minutes, plus 30 minutes for the greenhouses.
On site : parking near the Chemin des Verdiers entrance, tables and chairs for picnics.
Visitor tips
Pick up the garden map at the entrance to find your way around the sections. Signs along the paths explain the plants and their classification. Spring and summer are the best seasons for blooms, and the Pavillon Vert programme offers a chance to explore a topic in depth with specialists.
Nearby
- The Fribourg Natural History Museum, founded in 1823, showcases the natural heritage of Fribourg and the world.
- St. Nicholas Cathedral in Fribourg, in Flamboyant Gothic style, towers over the old town with its 74 m tower.
- The SwissBierMuseum traces the history of the Cardinal brewery, founded on the banks of the Sarine in 1788.
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