About “Alexandru Buia” Botanical Garden, Craiova
At a glance: Parks and gardens in Craiova, Dolj County. The visit takes 1 – 1½ hours. Information verified on 11 October 2026.
The “Alexandru Buia” Botanical Garden was born in 1952, when the land of the former “7 November – Jianu Fountain” park was given to the Agronomic Institute of Craiova, on the initiative of Professor Alexandru Buia. It opened to the public in 1953, and the professor's name was given to it in 2002, on its 50th anniversary. Since 2015 it has belonged to Craiova City Hall, but the university has stayed in it with the greenhouses, where students do their practical work. Its area is about 12.8 hectares, a figure also given by the University of Craiova's website.
The garden lies in the south-west of the city, between Iancu Jianu, Constantin Lecca, Obedeanu, Poporului and Renașterii streets. The relief was shaped with a lot of imported earth, with hills and valleys up to 30 metres high, and three lakes were laid out around the spring of the Jianu fountain, dating from around 1800.
What you can see
The garden's sectors follow the logic of a scientific garden: ornamental, right at the entrance from Iancu Jianu Street, the floristic provinces of Romania and of the world, plant systematics, cultivated plants, greenhouses, and a nursery with a rose garden. The best-known collections are dahlias, roses, irises, tulips, water lilies and peonies. Wide, paved or asphalted paths run past the lakes, the flower beds and a few open-air sculptures.
Good to know
A new tropical greenhouse is planned on the garden's former sports field, with 46 exotic species, a small decorative pond and a café. The construction contract was awarded in May 2026, and the builders have one year from the start order; no opening date has been announced. The visiting hours are not published on an official website: check before you go.
- The ornamental sector at the Iancu Jianu Street entrance, with its flower beds.
- The garden's lakes, fed by the spring of the Jianu fountain, with water lilies and waterfowl.
- The shaped relief, with hills and valleys up to 30 metres, for the floristic provinces of Romania.
- The collections of roses, dahlias, irises, tulips and peonies.
- The university's greenhouses, with tropical plants and succulents.
Good to know before you go
- Getting there
By car: the garden is in the south-west of Craiova, a few steps from Calea Severinului (Nicolae Titulescu Street). The main entrance is on Iancu Jianu Street no. 9. Enter “Grădina Botanică Alexandru Buia” or the address in your GPS. There is no information about a car park belonging to the garden.
Public transport: the garden is in the city, close to the centre; check the local transport app in Craiova for the lines that run along Calea Severinului.
- Fees & discounts
The administrator publishes no admission fee; travel guides list the garden as free to enter, but check before you go. Access to the greenhouses is not specified in official sources.
- Rules
The usual rules of a botanical garden: keep to the paths, do not pick plants or gather flowers, seeds or fruit, do not climb trees, do not walk on the beds and do not leave litter. Do not feed the birds and do not enter the lake water. The official rules are not published, so follow the signs at the entrance.
- Facilities
laid-out paths with benches · lakes · the university's greenhouses · a café planned in the new tropical greenhouse · no information on toilets or access for people with disabilities
Frequently asked questions about “Alexandru Buia” Botanical Garden, Craiova
- How long does a visit to “Alexandru Buia” Botanical Garden, Craiova take?
- A visit to “Alexandru Buia” Botanical Garden, Craiova takes about 1 – 1½ hours (an estimate, for 13 hectares).
- Can you visit “Alexandru Buia” Botanical Garden, Craiova with kids?
- Yes, “Alexandru Buia” Botanical Garden, Craiova is suitable for children (lakes, wide paths).
- How do I get to “Alexandru Buia” Botanical Garden, Craiova?
- “Alexandru Buia” Botanical Garden, Craiova is located at Iancu Jianu Street, no. 9, Craiova, Dolj County. By car: the garden is in the south-west of Craiova, a few steps from Calea Severinului (Nicolae Titulescu Street). The main entrance is on Iancu Jianu Street no. 9. Enter “Grădina Botanică Alexandru Buia” or the address in your GPS. There is no information about a car park belonging to the garden. Public transport: the garden is in the city, close to the centre; check the local transport app in Craiova for the lines that run along Calea Severinului.
- When is the best time to visit “Alexandru Buia” Botanical Garden, Craiova?
- The best season for “Alexandru Buia” Botanical Garden, Craiova: April – October (tulips in spring, water lilies in summer).
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