Exhibition: ‘Paradise Gardens – Garden Paradises’

In the former monastery church of St Peter and Paul in Erfurt, the Thuringian Castles and Gardens Foundation is staging the exhibition ‘Paradise Gardens – Garden Paradises’

Garden Art and Monastic Culture

The exhibition ‘Paradise Gardens – Garden Paradises’ showcases examples of Thuringian garden art from the Middle Ages to the 20th century. The former St Peter and Paul Monastery itself is also featured in the exhibition.

Medieval garden culture is explored using the example of the gardens of the former Monastery of St Peter and Paul, of which only the monastery church remains today. The monastery’s outdoor grounds comprised the cloister garden, orchards, vegetable gardens, herb gardens and vineyards, as well as the cemetery. Whilst monasteries played a leading role in promoting and spreading horticultural culture during the Middle Ages, princely courts took on this role from the early modern period onwards. This development is evident in the historic gardens and parks under the care of the Thuringian Castles and Gardens Foundation. In contrast to medieval gardens, the park and garden complexes of the Renaissance and Baroque periods, as well as the landscape gardens, have been preserved in their original form and can be experienced in all their diversity and beauty. The exhibition provides insights into their history, design and the work of garden conservation, which is essential for the preservation of these valuable cultural assets.

Eleven garden paradises take centre stage in the exhibition. Garden culture was held in high regard. The selected examples represent the art of gardening in Thuringia from the Renaissance – notably in the palace gardens of Wilhelmsburg Palace in Schmalkalden – through to Baroque designs, such as those in the orangery at Friedenstein Palace, the orangery parterre at Schwarzburg Palace or the palace park at Molsdorf. In the latter, the transition to landscape gardens and parks can also be observed. Such parklands have been impressively preserved in the Ducal Park in Gotha, the Princely Park in Greiz and Thuringia’s largest, the Altenstein Castle Park in Bad Liebenstein. They formed part of the courtly heritage of residential culture. During the 18th and 19th centuries, interest in garden design and botany also grew amongst the general public. The garden at the Kirms-Krackow House illustrates this development. From 1750 onwards, a private paradise with a profusion of flowers and a wide variety of fruit trees was created here.

Another option: Petersberg Experience

Take a journey back in time to the year 1181: Experience Petersberg and Peterskloster in virtual reality with 3D glasses! On this approximately 90-minute tour of Petersberg, you’ll not only have the chance to immerse yourself virtually in history and experience the atmosphere of the Middle Ages at first hand – you’ll become part of it!

Our guides will first take you to the medieval scriptorium in the Defensionskaserne and show you how to use the 360° time-travel glasses. You will then meet our virtual monk, Kuno, who will also accompany you on this fascinating journey back to the year 1181 and provide exciting insights into everyday monastic life at nine further stops, all at original historical locations. Stroll along medieval paths and experience the monastery church of St Peter and Paul in all its splendour.

The highlight of the tour: Experience first-hand the dramatic scene of Henry the Lion kneeling before Emperor Barbarossa – a pivotal moment in history – which comes to life in our VR tour. A collaborative project between Erfurt Tourismus und Marketing GmbH and the Thuringian Castles and Gardens Foundation.