Großer Tiergarten

The history of the Tiergarten dates back to 1527 when it was established as a royal hunting ground for the Electors of Brandenburg. Enclosed by fences, the area was stocked with deer and other wild game, providing a private sporting arena for the Prussian elite. It wasn't until the reign of Frederick the Great in 1742 that the park began its transformation into a public space. Frederick, who disliked the hunting traditions of his ancestors, commissioned architect Georg Wenzeslaus von Knobelsdorff to redesign the grounds into a 'Lustgarten' or pleasure garden for the citizens of Berlin. In the 19th century, the park underwent another major transformation under the vision of Peter Joseph Lenné, Germany's preeminent landscape architect. Between 1833 and 1838, Lenné replaced the formal Baroque structures with an English-style landscape garden characterized by sweeping lawns, winding paths, and picturesque water features. However, the 20th century brought immense devastation. During World War II, the park was heavily damaged by Allied bombing raids. In the desperate winters following the war, starving and freezing Berliners cut down nearly all the remaining trees for fuel and converted the lawns into potato patches to survive. The Tiergarten we see today is a testament to post-war resilience and international cooperation. Beginning in 1949, a massive reforestation effort was launched, with millions of trees donated from across West Germany and abroad to replace those lost during the conflict. Today, spanning 210 hectares, it is Berlin's largest and most popular inner-city park. It serves as a cultural crossroads, housing the Soviet War Memorial, the Global Stone project, and the iconic Victory Column, while providing a vital ecological sanctuary for the city's residents and visitors alike.