Vilniaus Universiteto Botanikos Sodas

Vilnius, Lithuania, Lithuania

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The Botanical Garden of Vilnius University (Lithuanian: Vilniaus universiteto botanikos sodas) is the largest and oldest botanical garden in Lithuania, established in 1781 by French professor Jean Emmanuel Gilibert, making it over 240 years old. The garden is located in two main sites: the main part in Kairėnai (address: Kairėnų g. 43, Vilnius) in the Antakalnis elderate, and a department in Vingis Park (address: M. K. Čiurlionio 110, Vilnius), covering a total area of 199 hectares (191.5 ha in Kairėnai and 7.35 ha in Vingis Park). It houses the richest plant collections in Lithuania, with over 10,000 to 11,000 plant species (taxa) belonging to 886 genera, including impressive collections of rhododendrons, lilacs, lianas, peonies, dahlias, and bulb flowers that are among the largest in Europe. More than 450 species of vascular plants grow naturally in the garden, representing about 25% of all Lithuanian flora species, and the site preserves a unique plant gene pool. The garden moved through four locations over its history: Pilies Street courtyard (1781–1799), Sereikiškės Park (1799–1842), Vingis Park (since 1919), and Kairėnai (since 1974 when 150 hectares were allocated).