Japanese Garden in Wrocław

The Japanese Garden in Wrocław, established between 1909 and 1913 in Szczytnicki Park, is a unique architectural work created on the initiative of Count Fritz von Hochberg and Japanese gardener Mankichi Arai. As the only exotic garden presented at the Horticultural Exhibition in 1913, it represents an important fragment of European Japanese culture. After the exhibition, the garden was left in its new form, but many original stone elements, crucial to its Japanese character, were removed. In 1995, its renovation began and was completed in 1999, although the garden suffered significant destruction due to the millennium flood in 1997, necessitating further repair work. Currently, the Japanese Garden is home to around 270 species of woody plants, including oaks, chestnuts, numerous yews, and rhododendrons. Its vegetation structure defines three levels: the highest with a mix of trees and shrubs, the middle with shaped hedges, and the lowest with perennials and aquatic plants, such as yellow water lilies and Koi carp. The garden combines various types of Japanese gardens, including public gardens, those associated with tea ceremonies, and pond gardens. The central points of the composition are the Sukiya-mon gate, the Yumedono Bashi bridge, the Azumaya tea pavilion, as well as the Onna-daki and Otoko-daki cascades. It is also worth noting that many stone decorations in the garden date back to the 18th and 19th centuries and are remnants of earlier, now-defunct Japanese gardens, adding further cultural and historical significance. Thus, the garden is not only a place of relaxation but also a living monument to Japanese culture in the heart of Wrocław.