Grosser Tiergarten, Berlin (2024) - Images, Timings

Grosser Tiergarten, Berlin Overview

Tiergarten is the oldest and most renowned public park with a large amount of the city’s green space. Accessible from any part of Berlin, the park also includes monuments, memorials and other attractions.

A former hunting ground was converted into Tiergarten, a leisure park for the people. Peter Lenne designed the landscape, now used by the locals for picnics, jogging, skating, walking or simply lazing, especially on sunny days. On the edge of the park is the official residence of the president of Germany.

The park is closer to other famous attractions like the Brandenburg Gate, Museum Islands, and Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe. The Spree River on the northern side and the Zoological garden on the south-western side, Tiergarten as the park is now called, remain situated in the area with the same name.

An expansive inner-city green park spread across 210 hectares of land and 23 kilometres of routes; the area is also known as the city’s green lung. Similar to New York’s Central Park or London’s Hyde Park, Berlin has Tiergarten as the most extensive garden in the city.

Monuments of Tiegarten

Berlin Victory Column: At the centre of Tiergarten lies the square of Siegssaule or Victory column which was designed by Heinrich Strack and inaugurated in September 1873 with the reason of Prussian victory. The column had been an inspiration for different purposes as the time passed like for example the Prussian defeat on Austria in 1866 and France in 1870. A victory column signifying the various triumphs over the years also had an addition to it during Unification of Germany. This addition was a bronze statue of Victoria, a goddess of victory to the column, which now people call as Goldelse. The magnificent statue is 27 ft long, weighing a total of 35 tonnes and the viewing area here presents you with amazing sights of Berlin.

Nearby Attractions of Tiergarten

Zoological Garden: Opened in 1844, the zoo has 1380 different species and more than 20,200 animals and is located in the Tiergarten. Over the years the zoo has redesigned and expanded according to the number of animals added here. The names that were part of the zoo proposal in the 19th century were Alexander von Humboldt, Martin Hinrich Lichtenstein and Peter Joseph Lenne, who was also the landscape designer of the zoo. Polar Bear, Pandas, Bao Bao, Knut are few of the global animals that you can find in this zoo which is also one of Berlin’s most visited tourist spot.

The zoo also has a separate aquarium which is home to 13000 animals some of them includes the sharks, piranhas, jellyfish and reptiles. You can also feed the animals here at a certain time of the day and also can take guided tours in a vehicle to watch them closely. Guided tours start from €40 and for more information, you can also visit the website.

Timings: Winters- 9:00 am – 4:30 pm

Summers- 9:00 am – 6:30 pm

Spree River: Falling on the northern side of Tiergarten, Spree River offers beautiful sights of Berlin from the waterside. A boat ride to sit back and relax the breathtaking views of the city’s greenery and skyscrapers at the same time can only be experienced through Spree River. Sights like Museum Island, Potsdamer Platz , Berlin Catherdal and many more can be witnessed through a circular river tour. If you are keen to try adventure and want to experience nature at the closest then head to Spreewald. Around 100 kilometers southeast of Berlin, this Biosphere Reserve was designed by UNESCO in 1991, which also has more than 200 canals. Go kayaking in the waters of Spreewald and witness forests, wetlands and fields to escape the city’s buzz.

Haus Der Kulturen der Welt: A house and forum for contemporary arts, this place is home to every art form present in the world. Due to its round and gently curving roof, Haus Der Kulturen der Welt is also called as “Pregnant Oyster” as per the Berliners. Be it music, theatre, dance, film or even an exhibition, you can witness great forms of arts at this house of culture. The Berlin International Film Festival also known as Berlinale is usually held in the month of February with the screening at this house. One of the popular open air performance Wassermusik , a musical journey takes place at the terrace showcasing films and documentaries related to the music.

The best way to reach here is to come by bus or a boat ride as bringing your car can be an issue due to limited parking space. Berlin’s only event venue has its own Riversboat station that halts at different locations, making it easier to reach Haus Der Kulturen Der Welt.

Bellevue Palace: Schloss Bellevue is the seat of Germany’s President, positioned in the northern part of Tiergarten and has been a residence for Princes and celebrities. The white colored palace with three wings was damaged to trash during World War II and was rebuilt from 1955. The palace is used for official events like the inaugural events and New Year receptions.

Brandenburg Gate: The most popular and first stop for every tourist to start the Berlin city tour. Brandenburg Gate a neoclassical monument is located in the Mittie district of Berlin and considered a historical place of Germany in regards to unity. This place also houses embassies of France and the United States and is the city’s prominent spot with tourists visiting in large numbers here.