Horticultural Heritage

Many visitors come to Erfurt to find out more about its horticultural history, as the city's connections with this industry go back a very long way.

Luther himself described the people of Erfurt as "gardeners to the Holy Roman Empire" and after local businessman Christian Reichart began growing plants commercially in the 18th century, the city transformed itself into a centre for horticulture.

From the 19th century, flower and vegetable seeds were also being cultivated and traded, and as these many local businesses grew, the seeds of Erfurt's reputation as a 'Garden City' or 'City of Flowers' were sown around the world.

On the Traits of Erfurt's Horticulture Tradition