Gärten der Welt (Gardens of the World)

This 21-hectare internationally themed garden park is tucked away among the Soviet-style Plattenbau of the eastern district of Marzahn.

Originally opened in 1987 as the Berlin Gartenschau (Berlin Garden Exhibition) it was renamed Erholungspark Marzahn (Marzahn Recreational Park) after reunification, and then to Gärten der Welt, with the construction of the park’s Chinese Gardens as part of Berlin’s partnership with the city of Beijing.

The Chinese Garden is officially named “Garten des wiedergewonnenen Mondes”, or “The Garden of the Reclaimed Moon”, symbolic of Berlin’s divided past and united future. This garden consists of traditional Chinese plants and buildings, all centered around a small lake with a stone boat in it.

The Chinese Gardens were followed by the Japanese Garden, “Garten des zusammenfließenden Wassers” (Garden of Confluent Waters), complete with a small pavilion and a rock garden; the Arabian-themed Oriental Gardens, or “Garten der vier Ströme” (Garden of the Four Streams), patterned on the palace courtyard of Riyadh; the Korean “Seouler Garten” (Seoul Garden), covered in traditional Korean handicrafts, and the Christian Garden, dominated by a golden cage-like structure comprised of Biblical verses and other writings in a variety of European languages, earning it the name “Raum der Sprache und des Wortes”, or “Room of Speech and Word”.

The park also features a labyrinth in which one can wander their way to a small tower in the center — a fantastic vantage point not just for the labyrinth, but for a swath of the gardens. Nearby, there is a row of small statues depicting some of the less grim scenes from certain German fairytales.

There is also a ropeway, offering stunning views of the area from 35 meters above. Some of the cars have a glass bottom, for a very special view along the 1.5 kilometers of the ropeway.