Imagine standing on a hillside transported to Italy. This is the Römischer Garten in Hamburg. It is a park unlike any other in the city.
The Römischer Garten offers a unique blend of history and beauty. This 6700 square meter park faces south towards the Elbe. It sits thirty meters above the river in Blankenese. The Römischer Garten isn’t like other parks along the Elbe. It is not an English landscape garden. Instead, it showcases Jugendstil design. It is a protected historical landmark. Its name comes from the southern European design and plants used here.
In 1794, Hinrich Jürgen Köster bought the hill where the Römischer Garten now sits. Köster was an auctioneer from Hamburg. He built a wooden summer house on the hill two years later. He sought respite from the city, like many wealthy Hamburg residents.
The property changed hands in 1805. Köster’s heirs sold it to Jan Koopmann. Later, Marie Völkers turned the summer house into a popular restaurant. In 1856, Johann Carl Semper began to create a park. He planted exotic trees and shrubs. He arranged boulders into groups.
The lower slopes took shape between 1880 and 1890. Emilio Richter created the terraced landscape. He planted trimmed hedges of Thuja trees. He also added false cypress and cedar trees.
Moritz M. Warburg bought the property in 1897. His son Max and his wife Alice redesigned the garden. Rudolph Jürgens started the work. Else Hoffa continued it from 1913 to 1924. The Warburgs held legendary parties. These parties featured torch lighting, theater, and dance.
During the Third Reich, the Warburg family had to leave Germany. The garden fell into disrepair. Valuable sculptures disappeared. Anti-aircraft guns were placed there for a time. After the war, the family regained ownership. In 1951, they gave the Römischer Garten to Hamburg. They stipulated that the city must maintain it. The garden was restored in the 1980s.
Else Hoffa terraced the slope using 17 gardeners and Fjord ponies. They built a retaining wall. The central feature is the “Römische Terrasse”. It is a large lawn with a small water lily pond. This pond mirrors the sky. A garland hedge of Thuja frames the view of the Elbe.
A hedge theater was added in 1924. It could seat 200 people. A curved staircase connected it to the rose garden above. Theater N.N. performed here during some summers.
The rose garden is reminiscent of Renaissance gardens. 128 stone steps connect the garden to the Falkensteiner Ufer.
The Römischer Garten stands as a testament to Hamburg’s rich history. It showcases the vision of those who shaped it. From private estate to public park it has always enchanted. The Römischer Garten continues to offer a tranquil escape with stunning views. A little piece of Italy in Hamburg.