The history of the Botanical Garden of Turin
The Botanical Garden was founded in 1729 at of Vittorio Amedeo II's behest , as a structure aimed at cultivating and popularise plants and, especially, their shape, their uses, their origin and their ecological characteristics.
Initially it had no built structures and occupied an area of approximately 6800 m². In 1796 it was expanded with an area of approximately another 20,000 m², today called the Arboretum, and a two-storey building hosting the Herbarium. In 1831 in the Garden were built cold greenhouses, orangeries and hot basement greenhouses for the cultivation of tropical species, while in the Arboretum were arranged about a hundred tree species, some of which have survived to this day and hills and avenues were modeled in order to create a scenic effect and canalizations and basins were dug. In 1892 the building was doubled, with the construction of a large hemicycle classroom and laboratories.
The Botanical Garden has been open to the public since 1997 and continues to carry out its institutional aims of research and engagement on plants.
Read more:
Rosanna Caramiello, 2012. The Botanical Garden of the University of Turin from its foundation to the present day. Piedmont Studies Center, Turin. 159 pages.
