Botanical gardens are often places where one can see rare plants. They can also be calming places of beauty that can breathe real life into otherwise sterile urban areas. Here are the world’s nine most beautiful botanical gardens.
1. Jardim Botânico, Brazil
The Jardim Botânico can be found at the base of Corcovado Mountain in Rio de Janeiro. There under the ever-watching eyes of Christ the Redeemer, this botanical garden covers an area of 140 hectares (or almost 346 acres). There you can see more than 6,500 different species of plants.
Portugal’s King John VI founded this place in 1808. The King wanted it to be used as a place to acclimatize such spices as cinnamon, pepper, and nutmeg found in the West Indies prior to being shipped to Europe. It opened to the general public in 1822. Today it’s one of Brazil’s most important research sites.
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