Popular with tourists and Berliners alike, the neoclassical park forms a square with the Old Museum to the north and Berlin Cathedral to the east.
A quiet lawn, popular during the warmer season and well liked by tourists and Berliners alike as a pleasant bit of greenery to rest and lounge in at leisure.
The gardens had an eventful history. The plot of land was used as vegetable garden, growing fruit and vegetables – including the potato for the first time - for the nearby Stadtschloss (City Palace). Inspired by the Dutch style in vogue at the time, Great Elector Friedrich Wilhelm (1640 – 1688) had it transformed into a royal garden by landscape garden designers Michael Hanf and Johann Sigismund Elsholtz. This involved ornate landscaping including flower beds, an orangerie and a herb garden. Statues, grottoes, bird cages and fountains added charm and elegance to the public promenade.
