12 Iconic Paris Parks with Fascinating Histories You Need to Discover

4. Jardin des Plantes

Photo: Benh LIEU SONG )(CC BY 3.0)

Created: 1626
Size: 23.5 hectares
Location: 5th arrondissement
Metro Station: Gare d’Austerlitz, Jussieu

The Jardin des Plantes began as a medicinal herb garden in 1626, founded by King Louis XIII’s physician, Guy de La Brosse. Initially intended for the study of medicinal plants, it opened to the public in 1640 and expanded over the centuries, adding greenhouses, rare plant collections, and even a small zoo during the French Revolution. Today, it remains one of Paris’s most important botanical gardens, with the Natural History Museum nearby.

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