Jardin des plantes | |
![]() The exterior of the Grande Galerie de l'Évolution ('Gallery of Evolution'). Drawing plans by architect Louis-Jules André, 1889, when it still was named Galerie de Zoologie ('Gallery of Zoology'). | |
Established | 1635 |
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Location | Paris, France |
Coordinates | 48°50′38″N 2°21′35″E / 48.84396°N 2.35960°E |
Type | botanical garden |
Visitors | 1,586,450[1] |
Public transit access | Jussieu ![]() ![]() ![]() Austerlitz ![]() ![]() |
Muséum national d'histoire naturelle network | |
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The Jardin des Plantes (French for "Garden of the Plants"), also known as the Jardin des Plantes de Paris (French: [ʒaʁdɛ̃ dɛ plɑ̃t də paʁi]) when distinguished from other jardins des plantes in other cities, is the main botanical garden in France. Jardin des Plantes is the official name in the present day, but it is in fact an elliptical form of Jardin Royal des Plantes Médicinales ("Royal Garden of the Medicinal Plants"), which is related to the original purpose of the garden back in the 17th century.
Headquarters of the Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle (National Museum of Natural History), the Jardin des Plantes is situated in the 5th arrondissement, Paris, on the left bank of the river Seine, and covers 28 hectares (280,000 m2). Since 24 March 1993,[2] the entire garden and its contained buildings, archives, libraries, greenhouses, ménagerie (a zoo), works of art, and specimens' collection are classified as a national historical landmark in France (labelled monument historique).