"Alexandru Buia" Botanical Garden

Craiova, Romania, Romania

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The "Alexandru Buia" Botanical Garden is a scientific, teaching, and educational institution located in the center of Craiova, Romania, between the streets C-tin Lecca, Obedeanu, Poporului, Renaşterii, N. Titulescu, and Iancu Jianu, at an altitude of about 99 meters. Established in 1952 on the initiative and under the guidance of Professor Doctor Alexandru Buia (who was a professor of botany and later rector of the Institute of Agronomy in Craiova), the garden was originally a training ground for horticulture and agronomy students, based on 50-year-old initial plans by French landscape architect Emile Redont. The garden covers approximately 12.8 hectares (with some sources citing 17 hectares), and is divided into seven sectors, a museum, and a herbarium. It features diverse plantings from the region and serves as study material for the University of Craiova, functioning as a sanctuary for plant biodiversity dedicated to education, scientific research, and conservation rather than a predominantly recreational park. The garden also includes 3 artificial lakes with an area of about 0.3 hectares. Since its rehabilitation a few years ago, it has become a major attraction among the green spaces in the city and a gem of the urban landscape. The botanical garden bears the name of Professor Alexandru Buia, honoring his vision of creating a center for study and conservation of flora in Craiova.