Nikita Botanical Gardens was founded in 1812 accordance to the special Tsar's Alexander I decree. Yes, you are not wrong, that was the year of Napoleons' invasion to Russia. But tsar payed 10,000 rubles for the start of the foundation of botanical garden in the Crimea.
Armand Emmanuel du Plessis, duke de Richelieu, the third (after Kahovsky and Potemkin) General-Governor of the Crimea and New (south) Russia was a very active initiator of the creation of the garden. And Christian Steven, who was a Swedish nationality but with a Russian partiality, became its' first director.
The main idea of the new garden was to acclimatize and accommodate southern plants for more cold climate of the main part of big Russian Empire. That's why it's location was on the most southern point of European area of Russia - on the Crimean peninsula, not far from Nikita village.
Many varieties of plant life can be found here, imported and endemi, all beautiful and flourishing . The South Coast of the Crimea, where is Yalta and Nikitsky Botanical Garden, has the unique climate of this special area, is the only place in Ukraine with palm trees! Several additional exhibitions and greenhouses you can find also here. The greenhouse with cactus from around the world has a special supported microclimate. The exhibition of tropical butterflies is in a special aviary, which was built two hundreed years ago, has a special micro climage also. Nikita Botanical Garden is a famous in Ukraine center for scientists. It has own products: tea, grasses tea, essential oils, fruits and natural cosmetics. Every fall you can visit a "ball of chrysantemum" - very popular local attraction. If you are a real lover of nature you can spend here a full day.
Sergey Tsarapora private guide
