Orto Botanico dell'Universita di Perugia

The University of Perugia's Botanical Garden lies near the San Pietro complex. Scientific collections and a modern medieval-style garden connect plant study with the history of teaching and cultivation.

Why it matters

The garden belongs to a university tradition that began with the study of medicinal plants. Its later development broadened that interest into botanical classification, regional flora and plants of economic importance.

What to notice

The collections include Apennine trees, aquatic plants, conifers and succulents. Greenhouse collections represent other climatic regions, while medicinal plants give the medieval garden its historical theme. Differences between these sections show the range of purposes served by a scientific garden.

Context and history

Teaching on medicinal simples is recorded in the sixteenth century. Early garden projects followed in 1720 and 1799, before Domenico Bruschi established a more enduring garden in 1813. Transfer to San Pietro took place in 1896 under Osvaldo Kruch. Later expansion changed the site again, and Alessandro Menghini's medieval garden was created in 1996 as a modern interpretation of an older horticultural tradition.