Hesperidengärten

The Hesperidengärten are several baroque-style gardens located in the St. Johannis district of Nuremberg. They were part of a green belt along the city wall, which included 360 gardens used for various purposes and laid the foundation for the development of a sophisticated garden culture outside the gates of the Free Imperial City of Nuremberg. This encouraged the creation of significant collections of citrus plants. The green spaces were established by patrician families and merchants in the 16th, 17th, and 18th centuries, after the fruit, vegetable, and herb gardens within the Old Town were gradually developed. These splendid pleasure gardens separated the newly formed suburbs from the Old Town, with the city wall serving as the physical boundary. Since the early modern period, wealthy citizens lived in St. Johannis, bringing a touch of southern culture to their home gardens. Nuremberg’s patricians and merchants based their garden designs on aristocratic models. Small ornamental gardens were created in the Renaissance and Baroque styles and adorned with numerous sandstone fountains and statues. These elaborately designed gardens featured valuable and exotic collections of lemons and bitter oranges.