Pharmacy Garden

"The Apothecary Garden" in Moscow is the oldest botanical garden in Russia. The garden was founded in 1706 by decree of Peter I. Initially, medicinal plants were grown here for army hospitals and pharmacies during the Northern War. According to legend, the emperor himself planted a larch, spruce, and fir tree there. Of these three trees, only the larch has survived to this day—its age was confirmed by special studies. However, in the early 20th century, lightning struck the tree, and since then it has hardly grown at all. In 1805, the garden passed into the ownership of Moscow University. In 1953, after the establishment of a new botanical garden of MGU on Vorobyovy Hills, "Apothecary Garden" became its affiliate. Since 2022, the garden has been named after Peter I. Today it also serves as an educational site for the Biological Faculty of Moscow University. Currently, the garden houses more than 5,000 plant species from around the world.

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