Großer Garten

The Großer Garten (great garden) is the centerpiece of the Herrenhäuser Gärten and the most important tourist highlight of Hannover, Germany. It is a vast French formal garden that is seen as one of the most significant of its kind. The garden has a rectangular shape and is 905 meters long and 555 meters wide. It dates back to the 17th century CE.

George, Duke of Brunswick-Calenberg created a garden here in 1638 and his son planned a small castle. From this germ cell the castle and the garden were extended over the next centuries under different regents. Today it is an extensive collection of gardens, statues, fountains, plants and design elements. You can find water cascades and a grotto (which todo contains a work of artist Niki de Saint Phalle), a gallery, a museum inside the castle, an open-air theatre and much more.

The garden is surrounded by a moat that was onced used for boat tours. Some big events take place here every year like the international fireworks competition – were teams from different countries show spectacular firework displays on multiple days. Or the Kleines Fest im Großen Garten which presents ‘Kleinkunst‘ (cabaret, variety) throughout the park. But even on days with no special event there is enough to explore at the garden.

Get there with U-Bahn 4 or 5, the stop is called ‘Hannover Herrenhäuser Gärten‘. The day ticket for the park costs 8 Euros and includes the visit at the Berggarten close to the Großer Garten. The cash desk and entrance is inside the castle building.

Großer Garten
Herrenhäuser Gärten
Herrenhäuser Straße 4
30419 Hannover
Germany