The Botanical Garden of Rome is located at the behind the Palazzo Corsini along the Via della Lungara in the Trastevere district. The garden is maintained by the Faculty of Biology of the La Sapienza University of Rome.
Botanical Garden Rome
Address, opening hours and admission
Address: Largo Cristina di Svezia, 24 – 00187 Rome. Telephone: +39 0649917107/8. Opening hours 29 March to 29 October from 09:00 to 18:30. Opening hours 30 October to 28 March from 09.00 to 17.30. Closed: Sundays and holidays (except for special events). Entrance fee: 4 Euro; 65+ and children 6-11: 2 Euro. Children under 6 and disabled: Free of charge. (NB: Due to the Covid crisis the greenhouses will remain closed for the time being).
History and description
The Botanical Garden (Orto Botanico) of Rome consists of a 12 hectare park and about two thousand square metres of greenhouses. An attempt has been made to imitate the natural environment of the plants.
Originally, the Orto Botanico was the private garden of the Palazzo Corsini, the current seat of the Galleria Corsini. Plants have been cultivated here since the 13th century.
The Botanical Garden in its present form was founded in 1883. In that year, the grounds of the palace were donated to the University of Rome.
There are more than eight thousand different plants in the gardens and greenhouses. Some of these are among the rarest in Europe.
Apart from the plants, flowers and trees, there are also other attractions in the garden. A highlight is the Scalinata delle 11 Fontane. This “Staircase of the Eleven Fountains” was designed by Ferdinando Fuga, who had also designed the Palazzo Corsini.
Special times to visit the garden are the months of April (when the Japanese cherry trees are in blossom) and May (when the rose garden is at its best).
When you are all the way at the back, at the highest point of the garden, and you keep looking up, you will see the top of a big white building. This is the famous Acqua Paola Fountain, or Fontanone.
The Botanical Garden sometimes hosts exhibitions.
Butterfly house (Casa delle Farfalle)
Entrance to the butterfly house costs an extra 4 Euro. Opening hours are from 10.30 to 17.00 during the week and from 10.00 to 17.30 on weekends. Closed on Mondays.